Bella:
Around 9 the next morning, I receive a text on the phone Edward gave me. It simply says: We just landed. When do you want to meet?
I freeze as I look at the text, just as Nessie and Masen run into the kitchen.
"I thought you knew how to text, mum," Nessie jokes. "And, man, that phone's old!" she adds, grinning.
I thought it might be better if we met up first, and then I could take you back to meet them? ~B
Honestly, I only want to do this so that if I break down, I won't break down in front of my kids.
"Just eat your breakfast," I tell her, shaking my head.
Edward texts me back, telling me the hotel that they're staying at. I reply that I'll be there in twenty minutes.
"Will you two be ok if I leave you alone for a bit?" I ask them. I almost want them to say no.
"Sure, why?" Nessie asks.
"Errands," I tell her, trying to make it sound boring. "I'll call you when I'm coming back," I add.
"Ok," Masen nods, buttering his toast.
I pull them both into a big hug, squeezing them tightly. "I love you, both of you," I tell them, closing my eyes.
They both reply they love me, so I quickly make my departure before I start sobbing in the kitchen. I'm an emotional wreck right now.
I get in my car and drive to the hotel, my palms sweating. Sometimes it seems I've retained all my annoying human habits. I still blush, I still sweat, I still need sleep. Though, I can digest human food, which is quite nice sometimes. I very rarely eat human food, however.
My heart hammers in my chest as I park the car, so I take a few deep breaths in an attempt to control my breathing. I haven't seen the Cullen's in five years. They were family to me, once, but now it feels like they're strangers.
And him. My chest hurts just thinking of him. I don't even want to imagine the pain I'll feel when I see him in person.
After ten more deep breaths, I exit the car and walk towards the lobby. I'm suddenly wondering if I should've dressed up, as I'm just in jeans a long sleeved shirt. Which is what I wear on the rare days that I'm not working.
In the lobby, all my breath leaves me when I spot them. Just as perfect as I remembered.
They all turn and, upon seeing me, Alice runs at me. She wraps her arms around me tightly, tighter than she would do when I was human. My eyes are already betraying me by watering just from Alice's touch.
"I missed you," she whispers before releasing me. I hastily wipe my cheeks and look toward the rest of the Cullen's. I vaguely note that Edward's standing slightly away from his family and once I start looking at him, I can't stop. Although he doesn't age he still looks different. The circles under his eyes appear to have increased and his eyes don't hold the spark they once used to.
Reluctantly, I tear my eyes away from him. All the anger that I'd built up over the past years melts away instantly, leaving only anger at myself.
"Bells!" Emmett booms, picking me up and swinging me around. I close my eyes to stop the dizzy feeling, still trying to process.
This isn't the reaction I expected. I thought they'd hate me. I kept Edward's children away from them all because I couldn't look him in the eye.
I still don't think I can.
As Emmett puts me down, Carlisle speaks.
"Maybe we should discuss things somewhere more private?" Carlisle suggests.
We leave the hotel and walk into the forest, walking until we find a more open, but still secluded, spot.
"Why don't you hate me?" I ask.
Edward's eyes – for the first time – flicker over to me. His expression is pained but I can't decipher why.
"You're not the one they hate," he mumbles, glancing down his feet.
That statement shocks me. It's as if he's implying that they hate him! But that's not possible.
"Then you're not the people I thought you were," I tell them, the anger inside me building. The anger almost comforts me. It's an emotion I'm used to, an emotion I know how to handle. "It's not his fault he doesn't love me. You can't force him to feel that way and I'd rather that wasn't the case, anyway," I tell them. It's the first time I've said aloud that his feelings were false and I try to ignore the burn of agony in my chest.
Alice looks straight into my eyes, almost pleading with me.
"That's not why," Edward murmurs, his soft voice sounding broken. "I, ah, didn't actually tell them about how we…how we progressed with our relationship. They only found and yesterday, and…" Edward trails off.
I raise an eyebrow in question. Didn't he say he was just using me? If so, why wouldn't he brag about stealing my innocence?
"And we never would have left if we'd known!" Rosalie shouts, glaring at Edward. Part of me wants to defend him, but a larger part of me wants answers. "Not that we ever should have left anyway," Rosalie mutters quietly, probably thinking I can't hear her.
"Wait, what?" I question.
"Edward overreacted," Rosalie states.
"Rosalie, please-" Edward starts, only to have Rosalie cut him off.
"We're vampires; he should have known there was a risk one of us might lose control. Especially with your clumsy nature," Rosalie shrugs, as if it's obvious. "But, no, Edward must protect you, making everyone around him miserable," she finishes.
"No, that's not why you left," I accuse, looking at Edward.
He actually winces. "I…" he starts, running a hand through his hair roughly.
"Edward, tell her!" Alice shouts at her brother.
"Tell me what?" I ask, frustrated. "Is there someone else?" I whimper, my frustration quickly leaving me. Has he found his actual mate? Do I even want to know?
"No! How could you…? No!" Edward shouts, walking closer to me. "Everything I said to you that day was a lie. I was trying to protect you, trying to keep you safe. It turns out I was the one you needed protection from," Edward tells me dejectedly.
It was all a lie? He didn't use me? He still…?
"No, you said you never loved me. You looked me right in the eye and told me it wasn't true!" I protest, ignoring the tears that are spilling over. "Look, this isn't why you're here. You wanted to meet your children," I remind him and myself.
I glance around and notice that the rest of the Cullen's have disappeared. Edward and I are all alone in a forest.
Much like the last time we were together…
A/N: Thoughts on the Cullen's return?