A/N: This was the hardest chapter to write, but i FINALLY finished it! Thank you to Artemis of Luna, twilightdaydream, Marauder's legacy, petites sorcieres, neonlion, edwardmyantidrug, cat97, night lupine, cullen-obsession, Anuddaone for the reviews. I'm trying to finish this story by August 2nd and I'm halfway through, so I'll try to have the next chapter up soon.


Chapter 7: Reunion

The truck's engine stalled and died, but Bella kept her eyes closed, ignoring the angry raised voices of the Cullens outside the door. She didn't doubt that they were arguing about her being there, that she shouldn't be there and that they didn't want her there. At that moment, Bella wanted to be any where but there. The voices grew louder, but Bella couldn't comprehend what was being said. The door next to her was thrown open but she kept her head down, her arms tight around her.

"Bella?" Alice sounded so concerned that Bella looked up. Only Alice and Esme stood outside now, even Rosalie's BMW was no longer behind her truck. Alice placed a hand of Bella's shoulder. The comforting touch was all Bella needed, she threw herself at Alice, clasping her arms around Alice's neck, sobbing into her shoulder.

"Alice, oh, Alice!" she gasped, inhaling the vampire's familiar scent.

"It's okay, Bella. Everything's okay." Alice's voice was as soothing as her cold hand running down Bella's hair.

"You knew? You saw me come here." Bella tried to stop crying as she looked up at the friend who was more like a sister.

"Yes, I saw you decide to visit, finally. But this wasn't how I saw you behave." Alice sighed, wiping her tears away.

Bella looked at her puzzled. "Finally?"

"Yes, we've been here for days, I'd hope you would have come sooner. Especially after you saw Carlisle."

Alice stepped away from the truck, giving Esme room to pull Bella into a hug. "He told you about that," Bella blushed, returning the affectionate embrace. She realized that there was the still possibility that not all the Cullen's didn't want to see her. After all, Carlisle had been friendly at the hospital, and now here stood Alice and Esme, when the others had left.

"Yes," Esme smiled down at her, "he mentioned your hallucinations, and I agree he is dreamy. Though not he's the member of the family that I imagined you would have dreamed of."

Bella blushed again, and glanced back at the spot where Edward had stood moments before. He didn't want to welcome her, she thought; he was one of the Cullens that didn't want to see her.

Alice reached over and took her hand, regaining her attention. "Bella, I..." she paused and, for the first time that Bella could remember, seemed nervous, "I'm so sorry. We left, and I didn't," she swallowed a dry sob, "I didn't even say good bye."

Bella tried to smile at her, "I know it's not you fault, I don't blame you Alice. You're back now, right, so all is forgiven."

"So," Alice almost looked shy, "we're still friends?"

"Of course," Bella grinned, trying to ignore the increasing rejection she felt about the rest of the Cullen's not wanting to be 'friends'. Alice and Esme both seemed so happy to see her, she tried to pretend that this was enough.

"Good because there are a couple of things that I bought this morning for you, so now you can try them on," Alice prattled, guiding Bella away from her truck, in the direction of the house. Esme closed the truck door and was followed but Bella resisted, leaning against the hood of her truck.

"So, where were you until a few days ago?" Bella tried to ask casually, not wanting to go any where near the house.

Alice dropped Bella's hand, placing her fists firmly on her hips. They stared at each other for a few seconds, testing each other's level of stubbornness, and then Alice smiled and leaned against the truck next to Bella.

"We were in Denali the last few weeks, since the end of winter."

"And before that?" Bella prompted, hoping to continue to distract Alice from dress-ups.

Alice and Esme both talked about the family's activities in the months since they had left Forks, Carlisle had been working in Ithaca, and teaching part time at Cornell. Esme had just finished restoring a seventeenth century house, and Jasper had been studying at Cornell as well, finishing a degree in philosophy. Emmett and Rosalie had just returned from another honeymoon in Europe when they had met the rest of the family in Denali for Cornell's spring break. And Alice had completed some personal research about the life she had no memory of.

"My name was Mary Alice Brandon," Alice said quietly, "I had a little sister named Cynthia. Her daughter- my niece- is still alive in Biloxi."

When Bella had exhausted all the questions she could ask about all but one of the family, and they had told her even their trivial news, Alice suggested that they go into the house.

"I don't think that's such a good idea, I don't want to cause any more arguments." Bella couldn't bear to see the look on Edward's face if she intruded any further.

Alice glared towards the house, before sighing, "I doubt there will be any thing will stop arguments today, so I think I'm needed there soon," she looked back at Bella, concern filling her eyes, "I'll be right back, I want to ask you something about another vision I had and you still haven't explained what you told Carlisle at the hospital."

Bella grabbed at Alice's arm before she moved further into the forest, "Don't go yet. What did he tell you I said?"

"He said you mentioned Victoria," Esme answered behind her, "have you really seen her, Bella?"

When Bella nodded both vampires stepped closer to her, their eyes surveying the surrounding forest, "Well at least, we are here to protect you now."

"I haven't been unprotected, Jacob has kept Victoria away until now." Bella insisted, before she realised that they wouldn't know who or what Jacob was.

"How could this Jacob protect you from Victoria?" Alice demanded.

"Well, Jacob is sort of strong. All the boys at La Push are" Bella hesitated, wondering who her greatest allegiance was to? She knew that she couldn't keep secrets, Jacob knew everything, why shouldn't Alice too? "Since you've left, some things have changed."

Alice and Esme exchanged a meaningful look, "So our suspicions were true, the boys of La Push, they are --" Esme started

"Werewolves," Bella said quietly.

"It's unbelievable, Bella," Alice added, "that when the local vampires leave town, you still manage to keep the monsters around you."

Bella frowned at her, "Jacob's not a monster, and he's my friend. My best friend lately. And if it wasn't for those boys, those werewolves, Victoria would have gotten me by now. Well, Laurent would have gotten me before she could--"

"Laurent?" Alice hissed while Esme looked at her surprised. Bella nodded again, alarmed by their reactions. She assumed that they had been in Denali, and so they must have known Laurent was missing. Bella quickly explained about the time that she first saw Jacob as a werewolf, when she had last seen Laurent.

"Our leaving didn't do any good at all, did it?" Alice murmured.

"For any of us," Esme agreed, staring in the direction of the house.

"That was never the point, though, was it? It's not like you left for my benefit." Bella watched as Esme's sad face change into a frown. Alice also scowled in the direction of house. Worried she had just started another argument, Bella stood straight, brushing the dust off her pants. "It's getting late."

Alice pulled her into a protective hug, "You shouldn't be alone, with Victoria around. I'd go with you, but…" She scowled at the house again.

Bella's heart almost broke at the realisation that while she was leaving to avoid seeing Edward again, Alice wouldn't be able to visit her. She knew Edward didn't want to see her, but she hadn't been convinced until now that would keep his family from her too. "I don't want to leave--" she tried to explain

"Then stay," Esme encouraged, rubbing Bella's shoulder. Alice stared at Bella with pleading eyes.

"No, it wouldn't be right if I did." Bella said reluctantly. She wouldn't be welcomed into the Cullen house by the one Cullen who she wanted to welcome her, so she wouldn't go to the house but she couldn't help voicing her disappointment at leaving their company, "though I wish you could visit me."

"Do you think I could come over to your house, maybe tonight?" Alice seemed hopeful, yet insistent that she receive Bella's permission to visit.

"Sure, if you think he will be ok with you visiting," Bella agreed while hugging Esme goodbye, ignoring Alice's puzzled face. She didn't want to start another fight, but she did want to see Alice again.

"So you'll check that Charlie won't oppose to me visiting?" Alice asked, seeming worried.

"No, I wasn't thinking of Charlie," Bella now puzzled, climbing into her truck, "besides why would he oppose? Charlie likes you."

Alice didn't seem convinced by Bella reassurances, and even Esme looked unsure but Bella barely noticed, she was almost ecstatic by the promise of Alice visiting. As she drove away however she started to wonder about what Esme had implied- could their absence been as bad for the Cullens, for Edward, as it had been for her? She couldn't be sure, but she felt certain now that their return, like their departure, was not for her. The tiny flame of hope she had of a renewed relationship with Edward died, nothing, not even Alice visiting later, could have persuaded her that Edward had come back for her.


A/N: If it wasn't clear, poor Bella believes/is convinced that Edward does not want to see her, miss her or has not returned for her. Raise your hand if you think she's wrong!?