AN: None of the characters are mine.
"Bella," my mother started, "You know you don't have to do this."
" I know I don't," I responded, "I want to."
"Are you sure honey? Really, it's not too late to change your mind."
"Mom," I stared pointedly at the security gate in front of us, "we've talked about this. I promise you, I'll be fine. Really. And anyway, I can't wait to see the looks on Emmett and Alice's faces when I show up. I've had way too much fun imagining their reactions to back out now. Go! Enjoy young, married life. You'll see me before you know it."
She sighed. "Call me as soon as you get in! And keep in touch! I want to know about every aspect of your life! Not that there will be anything exciting going on in Forks." She added the last part on under her breath and I couldn't help but laugh. My mother hated Forks. Actually, she detested it. When she and my father split, she didn't waste any time moving out to Arizona where it's always warm and sunny.
I looked at my watch and realized that it really was time to go. I looked at my mother and we uttered our last goodbyes with promises of calling and emailing regularly and then headed off into the short security line.
It wasn't until I was on the plane that I allowed myself to reminisce. I loved my mother, and Arizona. But I had grown up in Forks. For all intents and purposes, Washington was my home. When our parents had gotten a divorce, my older brother, Emmett, and I had stayed with our father in Forks, Washington while our mother had settled in Phoenix, Arizona. For the first few years I was fine living with two guys, but when I hit eleven my mother and I both realized that our summers together just weren't going to cut it anymore and I moved out to Arizona to live with her. For the next several years I spent my summers in Washington and my brother flew out to Arizona for holidays. The arrangement worked out well. We got along better than most mother, daughter duos and our opposite personalities complimented each other well. Then she met Phil. He was a few years younger than her, but he made her happy. I think he made her feel young. They married a short while into the summer and I decided that it was time to move back in with my brother and Dad. I would miss my mom terribly, but what newly married couple really wants a kid hanging around. So there I was, heading back to Forks to finish off my last two years of high school.
My dad and I had decided to keep my return a secret. We thought it would be more fun that way. Emmett and my best friend Alice had no idea that I was coming back. So, when I got off the plane in Port Angeles it was only my father who greeted me. I stumbled into his waiting arms and we both laughed. It was so good to see him.
"Hi Daddy," I mumbled into his shirt.
He gripped me tighter against him and laughed into my hair, "It hasn't been a summer without you Bells. I thought I was gonna kill your brother!"
I laughed too, "That bad huh?"
"Well, football practices have just started up again so he finally has something to occupy his time," he said.
"Is that where he is now?" I asked.
"Yea, I figured I could drop you there on our way into town if you wanted," he offered, "Alice will be there too, watching Jasper of course,"
"Perfect!" I replied, "I can't wait to see them!"
We spent the hour drive from Port Angeles to Forks chatting about the summer. Apparently, Emmett had been so bored without me that he had almost gotten himself arrested, on several occasions. I couldn't help but laugh at this. There wasn't much to do in Forks but we had always managed to amuse ourselves, even if they weren't always the best ways to do so when your father was the Police Chief.
When we got into town, dad drove straight to the high school. He let me out with a smile and a promise to leave all my things in my room.
I headed around to the back of the school where the football field was. Practice was in full swing. I stood and watched them run plays and tackle each other for a minute, easily picking out my huge brother. Standing at 6 ft. 4 and muscular to boot, he was impossible to miss. I laughed as I watched two of his teammates try to take him down and get dragged a good 3 feet before they could stop him. I saw him laughing too when the three of them got up off the ground. He was always so happy! I had missed his laughter and joking a lot while I'd been in Arizona.
I finally snuck up the side of the bleachers and saw, just as my dad had predicted, my best friend. Short, spiky, black hair, and bouncing up and down in her seat. She was seated next to a blonde bombshell, my brother's girlfriend, Rosalie. I snuck up behind them and casually sat down.
The two girls were hardly paying attention the football practice in front of them and were in a heated discussion about the Fall fashions.
"Fall in Forks," I moaned, "I suppose that means I'm going to have to get a new coat." Rosalie spun around in her seat, her face set to scold this new comer about butting into other people's conversations. She stopped short when she saw me, her mouth hanging open slightly.
Alice was a second behind her but a bit faster on the uptake. A moment later I had been flung onto my back on the bleacher behind me with a tiny, pixy like girl squealing my name on top of me.
"Hey Alice," I laughed, hugging her back. Soon Rosalie had abandoned all of her normally hotly composed demeanor and was on the ground with us; the three of us hugging and laughing. We finally untangled ourselves and sat up, and then the inquisition started.
"What are you doing here!" Alice squealed.
"Well," I started, "I decided it was time to come home. For good." It took a moment for that to sink in.
"For good?" She asked cautiously, as if afraid to believe what that might mean.
"For good." I said firmly, "As in somebody's getting kicked out of their locker because we had better have ours next to each other."
"But, how? Why?" Rosalie nodded in agreement to Alice's question and they both looked at me expectantly.
"My mom just got married guys," I said as if it should be obvious, "I'm not going to impose on that. Plus I missed you all. It just seemed like the obvious thing to do.
"Wait," Rosalie interrupted, "Does Emmett know? Because he hasn't mentioned it and I know he wouldn't keep something like this from me." She glared towards the field where Emmett was, as if she would storm out there and let him have it for not telling her about my return; which she probably would.
I shook my head sheepishly. "Dad and I thought it would be more fun to surprise everyone. Emmett has no idea I'm even here." Rosalie relaxed her position but then Alice turned to glare at me.
"You mean to tell me," she started, "that you're moving back here and didn't even bother telling your best friend that you were doing it!" She was yelling by the end and my laughter was not helping to appease her.
"I'm sorry Alice," I apologized, "But you have to admit, you were surprised. And it was a good surprise. I would have told you, I wanted to! You have no idea how many times I almost did, but it was so much more fun this way!"
Alice began to relax her glare, unable to stay angry for too long. "Whatever," she allowed, "but you had better never keep something this big from me again!"
I nodded in agreement
Alice, Rosalie, and I sat talked for the next twenty minutes.
The boys finally finished their practice and were walking off the field towards the water bucket, pulling their helmets and jerseys off, leaving them in their bulky pads. I watched as Jasper and another boy with reddish brown hair tackled Emmett to the ground and poured water all over him. I suddenly realized that the other boy must be Edward, my brother's best friend, and coincidently, my best friend's brother.
I suddenly got very excited. Edward had always been like a second brother to me and I hadn't seen him in nearly two years. He had spent the last several summers traveling with his father, who was working with Doctors Without Borders.
I turned to Alice to be sure, " Alice," I asked, "Is that Edward down there with Jasper and Emmett?" I must have sounded a little overexcited because she gave me a slightly quizzical look, obviously wondering why I would be that excited about Edward. Then comprehension dawned on her face.
"I forgot!" She exclaimed, "You haven't seen him in forever! He'll be so excited to see you!"
It was then that we heard the heavy pounding of feet on the bleacher stairs. Emmett was quickly making his way towards Rosalie when I looked up and met his gaze. He stopped short with a wide-eyed look on his face, making Jasper and Edward run straight into his back. It only took him an instant to regain his composure and change his course. I suddenly found myself pulled into the air and trapped in his massive arms.
"Bella!" He boomed, "What are you doing here!"
Alice answered for me, "Well, it seems that someone has been keeping secrets from us." At that, Emmett set me down and gave me a quizzical look.
"I'm moving home Em," I answered his stare, "Giving mom and Phil some time alone. Plus, you and Dad have been living off of fast food for way too long. Someone needs to be here to take care of you two." He beamed and scooped me back up into a bone crushing hug. Then he abruptly put me back down and glared at me.
"I can't believe you didn't tell me!" he bellowed.
I gave him my best puppy dog eyes. "I know, but this was so much more fun! I'm sorry Emmett, do you think you'll ever be able to find it in your heart to forgive me?" I joked.
He laughed back and rolled his eyes, "I guess, maybe. If you're lucky." And he rumpled my hair.
"Ok Emmett, now stop hogging her!" I heard Jasper's voice from behind my bear of a brother and side stepped him to see Jasper smiling at me. I gave him a hug and turned to Edward.
I didn't remember him being quite so built, or beautiful. That was really the only word to describe him. Edward was beautiful. His bronze hair was slightly longer and shaggier than the last time I'd seen him and he seemed to have grown a few inches. He'd lost all remnants of his baby fat and I couldn't help but notice how well he filled out the shirt he had on under his football pads. He had a peculiar look on his face, as if he was surprised. He seemed to shake himself out of some reverie and grinned at me, giving my favorite lopsided smile and held his arms out for me. I bounded into him and wrapped my arms around him.
"Heya kid," he said. "so you've finally decided to grace us with your presence?"
I pulled away slightly to glare up at him. "Hey!" I responded, "I'm not the one who's been running away every summer to play hero!" He laughed and shrugged and pulled me back into his arms. We finally pulled away when Emmett decided he was hungry.
"Hey Bells!" He laughed, "What's for dinner?" He was grinning, knowing that I wasn't about to start being his personal cook quite so soon.
"Oh no you don't," Alice glared, "she just got back! We're having a girls night!" She linked arms with me and started dragging me towards her car mumbling about stopping at blockbuster and ordering pizza. I kept trying to get her attention but she was focused. I finally had to stop and yank my arm out of hers. She stopped short and looked back at me, a question behind her eyes.
"I've got to go home first Alice," I answered her unasked question. "Let me go spend a few hours with my dad and brother and get unpacked a little and then I'll be at your house around eight."
She sighed but agreed. Edward gave me a wink and got into his Volvo, Alice following on the passenger side, then Jasper and Rosalie got into their car, leaving Emmett and I standing beside his jeep. He gave me a quick one-armed hug and hopped into the drivers seat and I jumped up into the other side. He revved the engine and pulled out of the parking lot, heading towards home.
When we got there, Dad was waiting, pizza on the kitchen table. We all sat down and dug in. Man, it was good to be home.
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