*I do not own any of the Twilight Characters
It had been years since Edward had left her standing in the forest, the pain of his leaving still haunting her from time to time. She at times wondered if it was truly Edward's leaving that caused her such pain or if it was due to the loss of the entire family. Carlisle and his beautiful wife Esme, who had become close to Bella, offering her distraction whenever she had been through a rough day, or Alice, Emmett and Jasper who had become like siblings to her, Rosalie hadn't liked Bella but she too had occasionally joined in on family games when Bella was present. Bella sighed as she stood out on the balcony of her college dorm, enjoying the cool breeze that brushed against her bare arms, for what seemed like the millionth time she looked up at the setting sun, wishing that she could forget the Cullens and meet someone who truly cared about her, but alas the draw she felt to the family still remained, forcing her to close herself off to the many advances of the attractive men throughout the campus.
Tonight she was going out with a few friends she had met in class, it was her 21st birthday and they felt as though she needed to get out and loosen up a bit.
"Hey! Bella! Let's go!" Liz came up behind her, pulling on her hand, "They've got an Uber coming. It should be here in like 5 and your shoes? Not okay."
Liz handed her a pair of black heels.
"You know I can't wear these." Bella laughed, Liz had been her roommate since her first year at the University of Washington. Not only had Liz helped her come out of the shell she had built after Edwards leaving but also she had become one of Bella's closest friends.
Liz just stood there, between Bella and the door, waiting with her hand out in front of her, "shoes." Bella quickly slipped off her converse and put the heels on, "If I die tonight, I'll be sure to haunt you" she slid her converse into Liz's hands.
"Now we can go!" Liz laughed, leading the way out of their dorm and to the elevators.
Bella tugged the edge of the bright red dress Liz had loaned her down her thigh, trying to cover as much as possible. How Liz managed to wear dresses like these she would never understand.
They met the rest of the group down stairs, Anne from Bella's Biology class had a black lace skirt on with a red halter top, her blonde curly hair bouncing around her shoulders as she ran up to hug Bella. "Happy Birthday" she exclaimed. The other girls weren't quite as hands on, wishing Bella a happy birthday without jumping on her. Marissa and Hannah, both from Biology like Anne, were both dressed in short black dresses with open sides, having bought them together for a Frat party they had attended earlier in the year.
'Lets get going! ' Liz wrapped her arms around her waist, rushing over to meet the Uber driver as the Black Mercedes pulled up to the curb.
The cab ride to Capital Hill was short, delivering the girls outside of a popular bar and wishing Bella a happy birthday. The bar they were visiting, Garage, was known for bowling, pool and dancing. A compromise as Bella had refused to go somewhere she would be stuck dancing with a guy she'd never met.
Handing their IDs to the bouncer, the girls funneled into the club, the haze of Cigarette smoke mixing with the sweet tang of alcohol in the air. Hannah, who had been to the bar several times prior, piped up "Lets bowl first!" Liz and Anne nodded in agreement as they drug Bella over to the counter to pick up their balls and rent a lane.
Two games and about six drinks each later, they all felt rather silly, taking turns dancing and trying to get the bowling ball down the lane.
Bella stood up, walking over to the bar to order another drink. That's when she saw him. Standing at the bar, his golden hair and pale skin making him easily recognizable in the crowd.
"Carlisle?" Bella whispered, instantly his head turned to her, excusing himself from the bartenders conversation.
"Bella" he breathed. The young woman that stood before him had changed so much from the sweet and clumsy girl he had known in Forks. She approached him, her red dress hugging her body to accentuate the curve of her hips. Carlisle couldn't believe it "you're alive."
Bella came to a dead halt, "what do you mean I'm alive?" she felt her body grow cold, had Edward been out to kill her that night in the woods? Was she supposed to be dead?
"Alice saw you jump off a cliff Bella! She saw your death. When Edward called your father Jacob said the he was planning a Funeral." Bella saw the sincerity in Carlisle's eyes, her emotions beginning to create a bit of turmoil in her stomach, the alcohol she had consumed making her head spin. "Bella what happened?"
"You left. That's what happened." She muttered, turning to go back to her friends. Her foot slipped, the high heels she had been wearing failing to support her as she spun.
Carlisle's arms shot out to catch her, saving her from the floor and placing her carefully back on her feet, his cold hands reaching down to check her ankle.
"I'm fine." She pulled her ankle from his grip, walking back towards her friends.
"Bella please, let me explain." He tried to follow her, "You've done enough, and I just want you to stay away." She replied, he slipped a small note into her hand before nodding to her and quietly backing away, allowing her to leave him behind.
She returned to her friends who she thought had barely noticed her absence, all far too drunk to take note of how quickly time was passing. Before long they decided to call it a night, grabbing what belongings they brought with them they all wandered their way outside, the Uber having arrived a moment before them.
After goodnights had been said and everyone had made it safely back to their dorms, Liz and Bella sat up in their beds, "So, who was the guy at the Bar?" Liz questioned, her eyes carefully regarding the note Bella still held tightly in her hand.
"An old friend" she replied quietly, "he wants to talk"
Liz smirked, "He was definitely worth talking to"
Bella's response was a pillow thrown at Liz's head as she opened the note to find an address to an apartment near Pikes Place Market.
"You're going right" Liz jumped on to Bella's bed, snatching the note from her hands, "If you don't, I will. Your mystery man can do more than talk with me"
Bella rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'll go!" While Liz could be a bit much to handle, Bella decided that she would rather let Carlisle explain before she told Liz that he was her Ex's dad. Knowing Liz, she would probably show up at his doorstep with a baseball bat in attempt to make him pay for what they had put Bella through.
Now the question that remained, what was there left to say? And where were the rest of the Cullens?