Chapter Three

Edward's POV

Standing in front of the Swan residence I can feel the power of my love for Bella overtake me. It takes everything in me to not run up to the front door, pounding on it. Instead I just lurk just out of view, hoping to see some sort of sign of Bella. I've been here for three hours and I've seen no sign of her anywhere. I am worried that maybe the reason that Alice is unable to see her future is because she is gone in every sense of the word. Shoving my hands, my fists, into my pocket I walk slowly up the sidewalk and knock lightly on the front door. I expect nothing but for Charlie to yell, scream, and banish me from his house. Especially if what I fear is true.

"Sheesh Billy, the kids won't be in for--"

His eyes widen when he looked me in the eye. At first I was afraid that he was having a heart attack or something, but I listened closely and heard that his heart was beating correctly.

"Charlie--"

"No, dammit you leave!"

"I can respect that."

"You can respect that!? My daughter hasn't been home for Christmas in five years because of you. I've finally talked her into coming home and you show up! No. Leave. Get out of this town. I swear--"

I put up my hands trying to calm him down. His face was turning a funny shade of purple, and it scared me. I didn't need to be giving Bella's father a heart attack or stroke.

"I will leave Charlie. I just—I need to see her. I need to know she's happy."

"She is, not with any help from you. She's married and she has a daughter. Now, if you'd please leave."

I stood there, staring at him, a look of total shock on my face. She's married and has a daughter. I shook my head back and forth much too quickly. Trying to remove the thoughts from my mind. I shouldn't have come back. I don't want to, don't need to ruin her happiness.

"I am sorry. I will leave now."

With that I stalk back down the sidewalk and climb into the front seat of my Volvo.

Bella's POV

Forks seriously needs to get an airport. This three hour drive in from Seattle is dreadful. Especially since my father, the man that has done nothing but beg us to come out for the holiday's hasn't even uttered one word. He has seemed very distant, like he was hiding something.

"Dad, what's wrong?" I ask, my voice low.

Lexie and Jake are snoring logs in the backseat but I don't want to wake them. They seem so peaceful.

"I don't want to talk about it."

His voice was barely above a whisper, and he mumbled the words together. I still caught the extra meaning behind them and knew that he was hiding something.

"What's going on?"

My voice grew only slightly louder. I still didn't want to wake them, but I wanted him to tell me what was going on.

"He came by. Their back—I think."

I didn't notice that I had started to shake. He was back—why now. Why after five years would he come back. Why did he have to choose the exact time that I was coming back. Why—why—why.

"Bells—you--"

"Yeah fine."

My eyes bore holes into the windshield as I tried to think of a way out of this now that we were actually here.

"When?"

"Today—right before I left to pick you guys up."

"What did he want."

"To see if you were happy. So I told him that you were."

"What—did--he –say?"

"That he was sorry for intruding, and that he was leaving."

"Do you believe him?"

"No."

"Didn't think so."

I wanted to shove my head between my knees to stop my world from spinning out of control. The man that had broken me so badly that I had almost gotten myself killed without realizing it was back in town. Of course he had to choose the exact time that me—my husband—and my daughter were back in town too.

"Your going to stay right? I mean—I guess I wouldn't blame you for leaving--"

"Of course we're staying dad. If he gets too close I'll just have Jake lay down the law for him."

"That is always a good defense."

Edward's POV

Standing right inside of the city limits, just out of view of the moving traffic I spot the Sheriff car drive slowly into town. Bella smiling in the front seat—I growl lowly as I smell what's in the backseat. I wonder if she knows what she's married to. Though, if I wouldn't have left her, then she would have been with me. A vampire. A vicious killer at heart. She knew what I was, she is quite intuitive. I would assume she'd know what she was married to. What when it turned into a giant dog. Still seeing her so happy without me hurt. Not that I don't want her to be happy—I would just rather it be me she was happy with. Sighing I leap off into the woods and bound off toward the house. We will leave. She is taken—she is happy—she has a family. I will not ruin that for her.