Chapter 1

Bella and Edward had been married for eleven years now. And it had been bliss, so far. Following their wedding and the birth of Renessmee, their only child who was a cross between human and vampire, and, of course, Bella's immortal transformation, they had stayed their first seven years with the Cullen's in Forks, allowing Renesmee to grow up with her extended family, both human and non, close by. She got to see Charlie and he, in turn, got to see Bella, who was no doubt not the same, but still his only daughter.

Renesmee was a grown woman now, even though she was only eleven, and like most young women the age she looked, about nineteen, maybe twenty, she wanted to conquer the world, or at least see and study it as conquering it would have exposed her entire family's secret.

Her curiosities were vast, so Edward and Bella had reluctantly resigned to letting Renesmee visit the Denali clan, who promised she would be properly chaperoned, for an extended period of time. However, once Renesme expressed an interest in visiting the Brazilian Amazons, including Nahuel, for a while, Edward was not so willing. Yet, once assurances were made that his daughter would return to him in the same state she was when she left, plus a lot of arm twisting by Bella and eye-rolling and promises of academia at the university by Renesme, he cautiously gave in. Vampire or not, as a husband and father, he couldn't fight the two stubborn women in his life at the same time.

Edward's worry was he knew "awhile" in immortal years could easily be twenty, fifty, a hundred or more; so far, it had just been two in Alaska and two in Brazil. Of course, there were visits and endless phone calls, but Edward's daughter made it clear she was not ready to come home just yet. So, while they still had their cottage back home, Edward and Bella filled their time with their own travel adventures-one of their favorites being Madagascar and the other where they currently were vacationing, a tiny, remote Grecian island.

The other Cullens: Jasper and Alice, Emmet and Rosalie, flitted in and out of town throughout the years with all of them meeting at a designated location for family reunions, but Carlisle and Esme did their best to keep Forks as their permanent home; but when you weren't aging after almost two decades, people took notice and while it was fine to let the rumors of plastic surgery go unchecked, that still didn't stop the numerous speculations that there was something more to Dr. Cullen and his beautiful adopted family. So, Carlisle spread the word that they were going to have to relocate within the year.

Bella felt a touch of sadness at the news as Forks truly had been her home and Charlie always looked forward to seeing her, even though, the true cause of her " rare anemic disorder" had never been verbally spoken, even after all these years. But Bella knew Charlie wasn't stupid. He clearly knew the truth. Nonetheless, it was for his safety they had to play this odd charade. And since money was no expense, when feasible, they flew Charlie out to see them, but admittedly, he was more of a homebody. He was certainly due a visit soon as it had been over a year since their last and even longer since he'd seen Renesmee, thanks to her "studies in Brazil".

Edward watched his wife continue to stare out the window of their villa with the view that only someone of their financial means could afford. He knew she was thinking about the move even though he couldn't read her thoughts. He smiled as he came up behind her and placed his head on her shoulder, kissing the smooth skin of her sparkling, marble neck.

"Something beside this beautiful view on your mind, sweetheart?" he murmured.

She leaned into him, sighing as she smiled, "I wonder where Carlisle and Esme will choose. It's so silly to think that I will miss Forks."

Edward wrapped his arms around her frame. He lightly trailed his fingers up and down her arms. The sensation of him touching her still amazed the immortal Bella, because while they were "coldblooded" creatures to humans, to each other, they were warm…and soft.

Bella took hold of his strong hands and squeezed.

"It's only natural that you would miss Forks, Bella. It's been your home for much of your life ...even after I took it." For a moment, he reflected on how his own life had ended with the death of his parents leaving him free to be fathered into a new life by Carlisle. He knew it was harder for Bella because she still had living parents.

She turned to look up at him, breaking their embrace. "No, I gave my life to you, Edward. Happily and willingly."

He gave her the smile that magnified his eternal beauty. "No regrets?"

She firmly stated, "None," and wrapped her arms around his neck bringing his face down to hers. The breeze from the ocean blew in and stirred the air with their honey-lilac scents. Their lips were gentle at first, but once Edward firmly drew Bella toward him, his hands traveled her body while their mouths searched out the other's pleasurable spots.

Unfortunately, that's when Edward's cell phone started ringing.

Bella giggled at the phone's poor timing and at Edward's growling irritation.

"Don't growl at me," she playfully chided, "it's your phone that's ringing."

"I'll let it go into voicemail," he rasped as he held her tighter to him, his lips searching for hers again, his hand trailing up her soon to be exposed thigh.

And so, Bella happily accepted the distraction.

But once again, the phone blared that a new call was coming in and not just a voicemail. Bella whispered, "Maybe we should get it. Whoever it is….might be important," her voice trailing as Edward's hands kept her lower half pressed against his. He nuzzled her nose, kissed the tip, then released her and walked over to the counter. She couldn't help but smile at the perturbed look on his face as he picked up the phone, checking the caller ID first.

"It's Carlisle," Edward stated. "Hello, Carlisle,"

Bella watched the beautiful and perfect features of her husband steadily change. His golden eyes expressed great shock as they locked with hers.

Something's wrong, she thought.

He didn't move as she walked towards him. "What is it, Edward? What's wrong?" She placed her hand on his cheek as she tried to read his expression.

Edward looked down at Bella, not quite sure what to do or say. She obviously sensed the seriousness of his gaze as she looked at him and at the phone in his hand. Her still heart fluttered, "What is it?"

Edward took hold of her hand, gently squeezing, "Bella…baby," he swallowed hard, "there was a car accident. Charlie…and Billy Black. They died, sweetheart."

Bella heard Edward speak, but they were just words. Not the truth. They couldn't be.

Moving at lighting, vampire speed, she grabbed the phone out of Edward's hand, her fingers trembling as she held it to her ear. "Hello? Carlisle? What happened? Where's

Charlie? What happened!" she rattled off all her questions at once. She threw Edward the most threatening glare he'd ever seen from her when he tried to take the phone back.

Bella listened in disbelief as Carlisle disclosed how Charlie and Billy had been coming back from one of their many fishing trips and had been hit by a semi truck that had crossed into their lane, killing them instantly; the driver had died also. They weren't sure why, yet. Carlisle had been at the hospital when all three had been brought in. He worked on Charlie and Billy personally, but it was too late. He was so sorry. He wanted to know what he could do, but Bella couldn't think of anything, other than Charlie's dead. Charlie's dead? Charlie's dead. She kept repeating the phrase and the question over and over in her head.

Eventually, Edward got the phone back from Bella and upon listening to the final details and giving details about their immediate departure, he quietly hung up.

Bella crumpled to the floor, her body convulsed with dry sobs, for she couldn't cry real tears; she was not human, but the physical reactions to her pain were very much so.

As she lay there, her mind flooded with thoughts and images: We were going to see Charlie when we got back. Renesmee…she'll never see him again. He wasn't supposed to go yet. Not like this. Not so soon! Not so soon! I wasn't ready yet! Did he even know how much I loved him?

And then Bella let her mind wander to the one man she had put on the backburner for these past eleven years: Jacob. Jacob Black.

Jacob had left Forks the day after she and Edward had gotten married. He'd made it through the ceremony just fine until Bella foolishly let it slip that she intended to be Edward's wife in the fullest sense of the word, meaning a physical relationship, not just in name only. She'd tried to settle him down, but he was too worked up to listen. Seth and a few of the other pack members had to physically restrain and drag him away before he and Edward had actually come to killing blows. Her guests had assured the legend of a jealous Jacob Black fighting with the groom, Edward Cullen, at the bride and police chief's daughter, Bella Swan's, wedding reception would forever become permanent history. True to Bella's form, though, she forgave Jacob's bad behavior; she always had, but she never got to tell him that and when she and Edward had returned from their honeymoon, she'd found out he'd taken off…for good.

After the first year of feeling guilty and wondering about his whereabouts, she permanently filed her Jacob away. It wasn't fair to Edward. But despite Bella and Jacob's rift, Billy and Charlie had stayed best friends. Perhaps they needed the mutual support only two fathers who had deadly, supernatural creatures for children, whose inhuman and immortal status they weren't allowed to talk about with others, could provide. Yet, Bella still maintained a relationship with Charlie; even if it was a guarded one, she still saw her father. But as far as she knew, Jacob hadn't seen his dad since he'd left. Or, at least not while they were still in Forks before she and Edward started permanently traveling.

She'd made a point of not asking. But she couldn't help but wonder about him now. Who was going to tell him? Who would even know how to find him?

Edward loved his wife, but at times like this, he hated he couldn't read her mind. Detested it, really. Obviously, she was crushed about her father. And unfortunately, as eternity went on, there would be more deaths to follow, but he got the feeling there was more to the distraught look in her eyes. He saw pity and guilt there and he knew who it was for: Jacob Black.