Hi everyone. Thank you to everyone who has added me to their author alerts, story alerts, favorite stories, etc. You guys all rock – seriously.

This is a fic that is going to be difficult for some – as it deals with a character death. Everyone is canon, so it's a human (obviously) that dies. The first chapter will be pretty nice and light for the most part until the end, and I promise that I'll try and add some levity to this fic when it makes sense. With fics that are harder to write because of the emotion in the fic, it seriously does help if you can review. Even just a little sentence spurs me on.

That being said, please enjoy and review!

*****

"Edward, could you please get the laundry out of the dryer for me?"

"I will, Bella."

"Thank you!"

It was about six months after the showdown. We had decided after the Volturi left that, as a family, we would stay in Forks until it was logistically not possible for us to do so. That meant about two to three years more we could stay here, which worked perfectly for me. I wasn't all that excited about moving, but I knew that it was something that we had to do to be able to blend in with our surroundings. I finished packing Nessie's bag and took the towels out of the dryer for Bella. If there was one thing she clung to from her human days, it was laundry. It amazed me how much of it she did. Alice would have gone out and bought new towels, but not my Bella. It was overcast today, so we were planning on going over to Charlie's for a visit.

"Are you almost ready, Bella?"

She appeared beside me in an instant an evil smile on her face.

"I've been waiting, what took you so long?"

"I still forget that you can move at our speed. You have Nessie's things?"

"I do. She doesn't need much, you know."

"True. Did you get the tomato juice to mix her drink with?"

Bella nodded her head.

"I did, and I made sure that it's well mixed. Now let's go, Edward. I don't want to be late."

"Bella, your father isn't working today; he's working tomorrow, so he's not going anywhere."

"I know, but you know what Charlie is like. Someone will call and say that they're going fishing, and faster than you can say your own name, he's in the cruiser going with them."

"True enough. Come on, Nessie!"

She ran down the stairs, as fast as her not so little legs could carry her.

"I'm coming, Dad!"

"Let's go visit Grandpa Charlie."

"Ok."

We piled into the Volvo and headed down the drive and arriving at Charlie's house in record time.

"May I have your cup please, Nessie?"

"Ok Mom."

I looked at Bella.

"It's a good idea that you gave her the drink now so her thirst would be quenched."

She rummaged through her purse as she gave me her famous sarcastic remark.

"Yeah. I'm not just a pretty face, you know."

"I know, Bella. You're much more than that."

She huffed and looked up at me.

"Edward, I'd like to go in and visit Charlie sometime today, ok? Can we talk about that stuff later?"

I smiled at her frustration.

"Absolutely, my love."

I got out of the car and undid Nessie's seatbelt, knowing that Charlie would be watching through the window. I waved at him as she jumped out of the car and he waved back.

Bella took Nessie's other hand and we walked up the front steps together, Charlie opening the front door and greeting us on the porch.

"Bells."

"Hey, Dad."

They gave each other a hug, and Charlie crouched down to pick up Nessie.

"And how's my special little girl?"

"I'm good, Grandpa Charlie. Know what?"

"What?"

"Mommy and Daddy are going to take me to Seattle this weekend."

"Really?"

"Yes. Daddy says that it's supposed to be a little cloudy but warm, so it should be perfect for driving."

"Sounds like a great plan. Edward."

I extended a gloved hand to shake his.

"Chief. You look well."

"Thanks, so do you. Come on in."

We all walked in the house and could tell instantly that it was different.

"Dad, where's Sue?"

"She had to run out to the store but she should be back soon. You guys want anything?"

"I'm ok. Edward?"

"Nothing for me thanks, I had a big lunch."

He looked at Nessie and smiled.

"What about you, Missy?"

"Do you have any cookies, Grandpa?"

"You know where they are, so why don't you go check."

She ran into the kitchen where Bella and I had spent so many mornings together, in search of the cookie jar that was sitting on the counter.

"I FOUND THEM!"

We laughed at her enthusiasm and sat down as Nessie came back with a cookie in each hand and one in her mouth. She looked up at me.

"MMMM mmm mmmm mmm mm?"

It was all I could do to not start laughing at her, but Charlie had beaten me to it.

"Renesmee. You know better than to talk with your mouth full."

She stood there in front of me and chewed and chewed and chewed until her mouth was empty.

"Can I go outside and play, Dad?"

"Sure, sweetie. Finish your cookies first before you get dirty."

She was halfway out the door as she replied.

"Ok Dad!"

We sat together talking to each other for a couple of hours. Sue had come back during that time and she had convinced Bella to come into the kitchen and help her with dinner. Charlie had offered to help me plan our trip for the summer, and although I didn't need the help because it was already really planned, I said yes. We were planning to go to Australia this summer, just to see what it was like in the Southern Hemisphere during our summer. Also, we wouldn't have to worry too much about being in the sun, so we were alright with that. Charlie made a few suggestions and I assured him that we would look into them, maybe do a little online research before we made a decision. I heard Bella come into the room and put her hand on my shoulder.

"We should get going, Edward. I'm sure that Nessie is covered in dirt by now and will need a bath before dinner."

That's my daughter.

"You're probably right."

Bella walked to the door and called for her.

"NESSIE! Come here please!"

With hardly any hesitation, I heard my daughter's full name and knew she was in trouble.

"Renesmee Carlie Cullen. LOOK AT YOU! You're COVERED in mud!"

I was at the front door behind Bella within seconds, and heard Charlie laughing hysterically behind us.

"It comes full circle, Bells. You used to look like that all the time."

"But Dad, LOOK AT HER!"

I couldn't help but laugh, but as soon as I did, I decided that it was better to keep out of this, despite the humor of the situation.

"Bella, she's just a little girl. It's only mud, it'll come out."

"I just did laundry today, Edward. I don't want to have to do any more this week."

"I'll do it, ok? You can give her a bath, and I'll do the laundry. Sound like a deal?"

She sighed as she looked at me, a sure sign that she was giving in.

"Alright."

She turned to look at our daughter with her most fierce maternal expression.

"You, young lady, stay right there. Do not move from this spot."

Nessie looked up at her with the most angelic of smiles.

"Ok, Mom."

After collecting a few big garbage bags to cover the seats in the car with, and a few extra towels, we loaded Nessie in the car and turned to say our goodbyes.

"I'll see you soon, Dad."

They leaned towards each other for a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"Absolutely. Love you, Bells."

"Love you too, Dad."

He looked at me with a smile on his face.

"Edward."

I extended my hand again.

"Yes, Sir."

"Don't mess it up, you've done a good job keeping her happy so far."

I smiled at him.

"I promise you Chief that I won't mess up."

"Good job, son. Get them home safely and give that messy granddaughter of mine a hug for me when she's all cleaned up, ok?"

I laughed at him.

"You've got it. Have a good night and say goodbye to Sue for us again, ok?"

"Will do."

He walked up the steps and stood there waving at us as we pulled out of the driveway. As soon as we arrived home, Bella grabbed Nessie and took her straight upstairs to run her a bath. I followed them upstairs and got her mud covered clothes so I could put them in the laundry. That was our deal, and I had to follow through.

After an hour or so, Bella came downstairs and wrapped her arms around me.

"Hey. What's this about?"

She smiled against me.

"Nothing. I just love you, that's all."

"Where's Nessie?"

"She's upstairs playing - with clean toys."

I laughed as I turned to face my Bella.

"We should get some food ready for her. Is she hungry?"

"She said she isn't really hungry. Maybe just something simple – Kraft Dinner maybe?"

"I'll get it ready."

After making sure that our daughter was full, we tucked her in for the night and stood watching, amazed at how beautiful she was.

****

The sun started to come up as we sat on the front porch holding each others' hands.

"It's morning, Edward."

"It is, Bella. The start of a new day."

She sighed and rested her head on my shoulder, something that she did when she was quite content.

"Well, she should wake up soon. I'll go in and start making her breakfast."

"Ok, love. I think I'd like to stay out here for a few more minutes. This is something that I never really got to do in my human days, to watch the sun come up. It's breathtaking."

I smiled and kissed the top of her head.

"It certainly is. I'll be in the kitchen."

She nodded her head and I went inside. I got out some eggs and a few slices of bacon from the fridge. I cracked the eggs in a bowl and started to beat them. As soon as I reached for the frying pan, I heard a gut wrenching scream from outside. It was like nothing I had ever heard before. Without regard for anything else, I launched myself outside to find my Bella on her hands and knees on the ground, wrapped in the arms of my mother and father. I looked at the three of them and especially at Carlisle as I put my hand on her back.

'What happened?' I tried to communicate to him.

He looked at me with remorse.

'Charlie.'