I really would love to thank you all for your continued review and alerts for this story. I never thought I would get this type of response. Please continue to let me know what you think. I'm in the process of working on Chapter 5. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, I just use the characters to tell my story.

Coming Home

Chapter Four

EPOV

I'm standing in "our" meadow with her arms wrapped around me from the back.

"Did you really think I wouldn't find you?" She giggles.

I can't believe she is here. I slowly turn around, smile, put my arms around her and kiss her like I've never kissed her before. I'm home.

After several minutes, I say, "Oh, how I've missed you."

"As I have you." She says.

I stare into her beautiful chocolate brown eyes. I could stay here forever.

"Baby, I am sooooo scared. I can't even tell you."

"I know you are. You must know, though, that I am alive and I promise with everything that I am that I WILL make it home to you. To you and the kids." She says.

I look down at my feet. I feel a tear fall down my cheek. She puts a finger under my chin and raises my head to look at her.

"Edward Anthony Cullen, you listen to me! Have I ever lied to you? Have I ever made a promise to you I didn't keep?"

"No, you haven't."

"Then I need you to trust me. No matter how long it takes. No matter how far I have to travel. I WILL come home to you. You have to have faith, no matter what. Believe me….Promise me."

"I do…..but….it is so hard. But, I do believe and I will hold onto hope. I promise." I tell her.

"Don't give up. No matter what!"

"No matter what" I repeat. "And then forever?"

"And then forever."

"Good. I must go now. Remember, that I love you with all my heart and soul. Remember, my promise as I will remember yours." She tells me and kisses me, turns to walk away into the forest surrounding the meadow.

"Bella, PLEASE don't go. I can't do this without you." I plead.

Just at the edge of the meadow, she turns to look back at me and says, "Remember my promise. I love you!"

"I love you, Isabella Marie Cullen!"

She smiles and goes into the forest.

I stand there dumbfounded. I'm soooo tired. I sit, lay down and I close my eyes. I want to just stay here for a while. I feel closer to her here.

I hear a noise that startles me. I sit straight up and look around. What? Where?

I am laying on the couch with a blanket on me. I look out the window. The sun is starting to come up. What time is it? Where is everyone?

I get up. Ugh. I put my hand to my head. WOW! What a headache! Did I drink last night? Oh, yeah, I think I had some JD. I look at the bottle. It is practically empty. How much did I drink?

My thoughts return to yesterday and then the dream I had. Was it a dream? Was it real or my mind playing tricks on me? I am going to hold on to whatever that was for dear life. Maybe Bella was trying to tell me something. Is that possible?

I walk to the kitchen and smell coffee brewing. Just what I need. I see Mom and Dad sitting at the table looking out the sliding glass door in silence, as Lizzie sits in Mom's arms drinking a bottle.

ESPOV

I toss and turn all night. I can't turn my mind off. I just keep thinking about all the 'what ifs' and 'what will happen'. What if Bella doesn't make it home? What would happen to my son and his family? I don't know if he'll ever heal from that type of emotional blow. Edward isn't a wuss by any means, but Bella is the stronger of the two and the glue that holds the family together. I can't imagine what he'll go through. It may be something I am going to prepare for, though.

I roll over and look at the clock. It's 5:15 am. Lizzie will be up around 6 am. There's no way I am going to be getting any sleep. I crawl out of bed and get dressed as quiet as I can and head downstairs.

I might as well start a pot of coffee as I reach the kitchen. I think we are all going to need it. Especially, Edward.

He practically finished off that Jack Daniels bottle. I can't even imagine what he must be going through. I hope he is warm enough with that blanket I put on him. I still couldn't help checking up on him, even as an adult. He seems to be having a decent dream, though. I hope he got some rest. Carlisle told me he finally allowed himself to feel the emotions he'd pent up all day. I knew he was trying to be strong for everyone, but he can't keep it bottled up.

After a few minutes, I had the coffee pot brewing and made a batch of muffins that were in the oven baking. I sat looking out the kitchen table watching the squirrels scurry around the backyard when I heard someone coming from upstairs. Carlisle walks down the stairs with Lizzie in his arms over towards me.

"Hey beautiful, how are you this morning?" I asked.

"I'm doing okay. I didn't sleep much and I could really use a cup of that coffee." Carlisle responds as he gives me a morning kiss.

"Although, I am very interested in how you are, my question is directed to this beautiful, blonde in your arms." Lizzie reaches for me as I put my arms out for her. She has Bella's facial features with Edward's eyes.

"Oh, well, that's okay," as Carlisle shrugs his shoulders. "She woke up a few minutes ago, so I decided to get her changed and bring her down. She'll be needing to eat soon, won't she?"

"Yes. There are some bottles in the fridge already made. Could you go grab one?" Lizzie sits in my lap, facing me, playing with my hair and smiling. What a joy she is. She brings a smile to my face.

Carlisle looks around the corner, looking at Edward on the couch. "I hope he got some sleep. This is going to be a long day."

"We'll have to take everything as it comes. That's all we can do, sweetheart."

"I know. I just wish I can make it easier for all of them." He says as he looks over at the empty Jack Daniels bottle, shakes his head, goes and pours himself a cup of coffee, and sit across from me at the table.

We both are silent as we look out the sliding glass door. After a few minutes, Edward slowly walks over to us.

EPOV

"Hey," he says holding one of his hands to his head.

"Morning, sweetheart, how are you feeling?" Mom asks. I gave Mom a crazy look and she says, "I meant your head. Do you want some coffee? I've got muffins baking."

"I'll just have some coffee and a couple of Extra Strength Tylenol for now," I say as I walk over to the cabinet , pull out the bottle and take two of them with my coffee. I walk over to the table and give Lizzie a kiss on top of her head. She smiles at me and then giggles.

"How long has she been up?" I ask.

"A little while. She's just finished her bottle and is about to have some bananas."

"Thanks, Mom. I appreciate it."

"You are welcome, sweetheart." She says lovingly as she hands Dad Lizzie and starts mashing up some bananas.

"Anyone else up yet?" Dad looks at Lizzie and tells me he hasn't seen or heard anyone else.

"Not even EJ? He is almost always up before me."

Mom sighs and says, "Well Edward. It isn't everyday that someone gives you the kind of news the kids got, yesterday. He's probably emotionally drain, as well the others. The norm is probably going to fly out the door for a while, now." I agree with her. It was going to be difficult for a while. By noon, all three kids are downstairs eating a little bit. EJ is more withdrawn than Camryn and Matthew, but I will give him some time. I might have to talk to him, again, soon. I just have this feeling I need to watch him a little more closely than the other two.

It starts to raining by the time Emmett, Rose, Alice, Jasper, Renee and Charlie are all back to the house. When I greeted each couple at the door, their eyes asked me the question? Had I heard anything yet? I would just shake my head and they entered the house.

This "waiting game" is getting really old, really fast. Everyone tries to keep busy and avoid speaking about Bella. We are all on pins and needles. Every time the phone rings, everyone jumps. We haven't had any new news yet and I was getting antsy. They must know something…anything, by now. I just need some sort of information to keep my sanity. I can't bring myself to turn on the television. I am too scared I will hear some sort of information about the crash that I don't want to hear.

I keep seeing Rose secretly go into to Bella's office with her cell phone. I know she has to be calling the airlines for more information. She's probably driving them batty because she's been in there the majority of the afternoon.

We start getting phone calls from friends and neighbors concerned if it is Bella's flight on the news. After about the 10th phone call and confirming that Bella had been on the flight, explaining what little we knew, and them telling me that "your family is in our prayers, I stop answering the phone. I can't take much more. Thankfully, my Renee offers to handle the phone calls. She tries to keep the calls as short as possible in case the airline tries to reach us.

The kids keep themselves busy doing whatever they are doing. No one is crying and yelling bloody murder, so I don't pay much attention. Alice takes it upon herself to keep Lizzie busy which I am very thankful for. I don't have the right frame of mind to be taking care of her. .

I sit in my office staring at the walls. I have stacks of music sheets sitting all over my desk. I've been trying to work on the Fall musical but I haven't been successful. Mom thought using it as a distraction would help…not. I start looking at all the pictures on my desk: Bella and I at our wedding; our family portrait last Christmas, Matthew in his baseball uniform, EJ in his soccer uniform holding his first place trophy, and Camryn in her cheerleading outfit. Our family.

Suddenly, Rose rushes in. She is rambling something about Captain Newton and information. I quickly grab the phone from her and she runs out of the room.

"Hello, this is Edward Cullen speaking."

"Yes, Mr. Cullen. This is Captain Newton. I am calling you with an update."

"Yes, Captain Newton, what have you heard? Do you have any information about my wife?"

Just as Captain Newton starts talking, Rose rushes in with all the adults behind her. I put the cell phone on speaker so that everyone can hear.

"Specifically…no., but, what I can tell you is the plane crashed on a ridge near Mount Osutaka, Japan. There is a U.S. Air Base in that area of the crash. They sent out aircraft and were able to locate the crash site. It is a very remote area and is difficult for anyone to land in the area and to get teams down there. Unfortunately, even though the US has offered to help, the Japanese Government has refused the offer and that their military will be taking care of all rescue efforts."

"WHAT?" all of us yell into the phone in dismay.

"The U.S. Air Force is literally there... at the area to help...and the Japanese Government said, No?"

"I am sorry but you are correct, Mr. Cullen. Once the forces are off the base, we are no longer on official U.S. soil. It is there country. We must do ask they ask. Now our government is monitoring the situation very closely due to so many passengers being U.S. citizens, and what information the Japanese officials have told us doesn't look good. Their military have been able to lower several of their military personnel into the area by helicopter. The crash site is spread over a very large area of land, the fuselage has been broken into several small pieces and, at this moment, I am sorry to have to say…….they haven't found any survivors."

"OH MY GOD, NO… PLEASE NO….PLEASE GOD NO!" I hear Rose, Alice, Renee and Mom start crying over and over. Jasper, Emmett and Charlie walk them out of the room.

"Mr. Cullen? Are you still there?"

"Yes" I whisper.

"The Japanese Government is getting more personnel down there but it is a slow process. The best area for survivors to be found would have been near the fuselage. We hope to have more information for the families in 18 hours or so, but we don't expect in any change in the survivor count. I am sorry…I wish I had better news for you."

"Thank you, Captain Newton. I appreciate the information," and I hang up the phone and throw it across my desk.

"She's gone." Dad whispered.

I walk over and grip the end of my desk with my hands. They start shaking and my head hangs down. No. No. Not my Bella! Why my Bella? Tears start falling down my face. I can feel the panic starting. Then all of the sudden I hear, "Don't give up hope! No matter what! You promised!" My dream! I promised and I am going to keep that promise, DAMN IT!

I stand quickly back up and I say, "NO! NO! I DON'T BELIEVE IT! Bella is the strongest person I know. If anyone could survive this, SHE CAN!" I wipe the tears away and walk out of the room.