Sorry this has taken so long...real life just gets in the way sometimes. As you know I don't own anything connected with Twilight. I hope you like this chapter. And remember if you review...I'll write you in.


*EPOV*

Bella turned and grabbed the phone off the desk where she had set it. I groaned inwardly. Cock blocked by her phone. Before she answered it she sighed. Please let her feel what I am feeling over here.

Whoever it is on the phone better be important, because that was just rude.

I watched Bella as she answered. Her voice sounded impatient. I wished that she would turn around so that I could see her face. But hearing her voice was enough at the moment. I listened to the one sided conversation and was curious.

"Hello. Yes. I know. What time? Okay. Yes we'll see you then. Yes ma' he is. Would you like to speak with him?" She turned to me with her phone extended. "She wants to talk to you."

I raised an eyebrow at her as I took the phone. "Hello?" I questioned not sure who to expect.

"Edward darling, when you are done trying to figure out things with Bella can you please be sure that she and my granddaughter come for dinner. Charlie has to work an overnight shift and I told him I would be sure that they were feed and set for the night. I know she is going to protest when it comes time but if you are there she won't refuse you. So have them here by 6 o'clock. Understood?" My mother's voice came out more as an order than asking. She hung up and I handed the phone back to Bella. She set it down on the desk again.

"So what did she say to you?" Bella asked looking back at me. I shrugged my shoulders. I was sure it was the same thing she said to her. I also knew that when my father said that my mother was having dinner that meant everyone would be there. Bella sighed. "We aren't staying here for dinner are we?" She looked at Renesme who was sleeping peacefully still. When she looked back to me I shook my head.

"Nope. Esme requests the presence of you and her granddaughter for dinner and she will not take no for an answer. We have about 30 minutes. You want to go down stairs and talk over coffee? I think we have some catching up to do." I said and looked at Renesme, Bella's eyes followed mine and she nodded. I stepped aside so that she could lead the way. As she passed me I let my eyes absorb her, I let myself take a deep breath of her scent. I tried to repress the groan that wanted to escape. She still was tempting as ever.

"Edward, do me a favor." She began as she looked over her shoulder at me "don't stare at my ass on the way to the kitchen." She let out a small giggle as she stopped at the top of the stairway.

"I'm not promising you anything Swan." I said with a grin and a chuckle. BUSTED!

*BPOV*

I don't know what came over me when I walked passed him on the way out of my old bedroom. It was like all the things I had wanted once were coming to the surface again. I walked down the stairs feeling my face growing more and more enflamed from the blush that had crept up after my comment. His response was not what I had expected. Maybe a laugh, something to tell me he was not too as affected as I was.

When we walked into the kitchen I gestured for him to sit at the small table by the window while I made my way around the kitchen making him a cup of coffee. I opted for chamomile tea instead. When the coffee was done I didn't stop to think that I had added sugar and milk to it. I turned with both mugs and caught Edward watching me.

"What?" I asked in confusion. He began to grin slightly. As I set the mug in front of him he cocked that eyebrow at me. "Seriously, what?" I asked again.

"You remembered." He spoke looking at the mug. "You remembered how I took my coffee. It has been eight years and you did it like it was this morning that you last made it." With that he brought the mug to his lips and I felt my throat go dry. It was a simple gesture but he made it look so sensual. I cleared my throat in hopes of clearing the thought from my head and took a sip of my tea.

"Alright. I don't know about you, but I'm not up for the deep 'what the hell Bella' conversation right now so how about we just talk like two friends who haven't seen each other in eight years." Edward spoke setting the cup down. He looked sincere. Then he licked his lip and I my mouth and brain were no longer working together.

"You know we did that once before. As a result of that we have a seven year old asleep upstairs. You sure you want to go down that path again?" I asked with a wicked grin on my face. I was teasing him, and was sure his response would be to avoid this all together. What I got shocked me.

"Oh I remember everything. I thought about buying stock in Starbucks because of it. I'm game for it if you are." His eyes must have reflected my grin because there was certain wickedness in them. My jaw must have hit the floor. And he laughed at me.

"Edward Anthony-Mason Cullen, you are unbelievable. I am a mother now. That kind of talk is completely inappropriate around me. Geez!" I huffed out. I wanted to laugh so badly.

"Yes, I know. And I remember a time before you were someone's mother. Mm mm mm. Those were the days." Edward said as he was about to take another sip of the coffee. He closed his eyes after his comment and ran his hand through his hair. I felt one of his legs stretch out a little bit and brush against mine. And there it was that current pulsing through me all over again.

"So, what did you want to know, besides the obvious?" I asked looking at the mug of tea in my hand.

"Well besides the obvious what have you been doing for the last eight years?" He spoke quietly but something was there in his eyes that I couldn't understand. I wasn't sure I wanted to. We sat there talking like two old friends catching up on lost time. We could have gone on for hours if his phone hadn't buzzed. He looked at the screen then up at me. Then he turned the screen for me to read the message.

From: Em

Time: 5:59PM

Message: Ok loser time is up get my lil sis and niece over here right now or I'm comin over and I don't care what I interrupt…you have one minute…starting now

I laughed and then to my surprise there was a knock at the door. The suddenness of it made me jump. Edward cocked his eyebrow at me. And Emmett began bellowing outside the door. The knocking only got louder and with it came Renesme crying upstairs. I looked at Edward and he shrugged.

"He did warn us that he was coming over in a minute." He said as we both stood up and moved away from the table.

"Okay well I need to get Renesme, she is probably scared waking in a new room and the noise from Em didn't help. Can you just go with him and tell them we are on our way?" I asked heading toward the stairs.

"Um, no. I told my mother I was bringing you over. She will have my hid if I enter that house without you. Nice try Swan. Get Renesme and we will head over together." He replied with a stern look. I sighed as I climbed the stairs and called out to Renesme.

"It's alright baby, I'm coming." I swore that I heard Edward groan from the bottom of the stairs as I reached the top and rounded the corner to my room. Renesme was sitting up on the bed with tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Yyou wweren't here, I I didn't know where you were." She stammered as I approached and sat on the bed next to her. I put my arms out and she threw herself into them. I tried to sooth her by rubbing her back and calmly telling her that I was just downstairs in the kitchen.

"Wwhat was the banging? It was loud." She stammered again. Before I could answer her Edward's velvet voice spoke from the doorway.

"That was just Uncle Emmett trying to make sure we were all okay. Grandma Esme has dinner waiting for us next door and everyone is waiting for you to come over and take your spot at the table. You think you want to go over? Otherwise I will tell Uncle Emmett to go back over and we can eat here, just us." He moved into the room and stood next to the bed talking to her like it completely depended on her and what she wanted to do. She seemed to be mulling it over when Emmett called up from downstairs.

"Come on you three. I'm hungry and mom said no one eats until you get over there. Tell Nessie that Aunt Rose and Aunt Alice want to plan a shopping trip for tomorrow." He sounded like a little kids pleading so that he could have his dinner.

"It's up to you little one. I can order pizza or something if you would prefer to stay here." He spoke again. I saw his hand twitch, almost as though he wanted to reach out to her head or shoulder to reassure her, but he was holding back. Renesme turned toward the opposite side of the bed it appeared she had made her decision as she bounded off the bed and yelled at the top of her lungs.

"I'm coming right now Uncle Emmett!" She sprinted around the bed and out the door taking the steps two at a time and leaping into Emmett's arms at the bottom of the stairs. The two of them laughed as he set her on his shoulders as they exited the house together. Edward and I looked at each other and then at the doorway our child had sprinted out of. He began to chuckle.

"Leave it to Emmett to understand what a seven year old needs to hear to be convinced of something."Edward said sounding surprised. Then he looked at me and said "What?"

"Your brother just knick named my child after a fictional water creature!" I said with fury. And Edward chuckled again.

*EPOV*

The words came out as I approached the door "It's alright baby, I'm coming" and my brain instantly went to one of our nights together. My body responded and I couldn't help the groan that escaped my lips. Flashes of Bella in my arms, my bed, and the list went on and on. How was it that after eight years she still had this affect on me? I opened the door to Emmett ready to bang again.

"Okay douche. Geez your banging scared Renesme. She was sleep. Bella was going to wake her just before your sudden need to break down the chief's door. You did it instead." I snapped. I could hear the annoyance in my voice. "Stay here while I check on them." I turned to the stairs and climbed them two at a time to get up to my girls. My girls, mine. Well Renesme is mine, but what about Bella? Was there even a chance? Did I want the chance?

I stood outside the door listening to Renesme cry about Bella not being there, and I thought about how she was going to feel when the day came that Bella wasn't there and my heart ached. Before I knew what I was doing I was answering for Bella to sooth Renesme. My brain said I needed to make sure that she never thought she was alone again. That even when Bella wasn't there, someone else would be, and that someone was me. Seriously? Could I handle being a father? Was I ready for it? Would either Bella or Renesme like that idea?

"That was just Uncle Emmett trying to make sure we were all okay. Grandma Esme has dinner waiting for us next door and everyone is waiting for you to come over and take your spot at the table. You think you want to go over? Otherwise I will tell Uncle Emmett to go back over and we can eat here, just us." I sat on the bed by them as I spoke, and Emmett ever the smooth one yelled up from the boom of the stairs.

"It's up to you little one. I can order pizza or something if you would prefer to stay here." I said and I was torn, I could take my new found daughter to eat with my family or I could spent the time with it as just us and get to know her before everyone else did. I began to lift my hand to stroke her arm and stopped myself. But the urge was stopped because I had no idea if that would help her at all. She didn't know me, and I didn't have the first clue about her. Renesme turned toward the opposite side of the bed it appeared she had made her decision as she bounded off the bed and yelled at the top of her lungs back to Emmett. It appeared that she was a Cullen in many of her traits.

*BPOV*

Walking into the Cullen house made me feel sixteen again. So much of it seemed like nothing had changed in all the years I had been gone. We made our way into the dining room where everyone was gathered. Esme was just playing the last dish on the table. I inhaled the aroma. It was one of my favorite meals that she made.

Everyone was talking excitedly. Emmett strode in and plopped down in his chair next to Rose very ungracefully. Everyone was in their usual spot. The only thing that changed about the set up of the table was there was now an extra chair at the corner.

"My dear this is your spot unless you would prefer another. I hope you don't mind sitting by me." Carlisle spoke to Renesme as he stood behind the chair to pull it out. Edward and I were to sit across from each other as always, and Renesme's chair was located at the corner between me and Carlisle at the head of the table.

"Aww, come on Nessie wants to sit next to me!" Emmett whined. Renesme laughed and I glared at him. Edward nudged me.

"What's wrong?" His voice was smooth, easy going, almost like this was the most natural situation.

"Your brother just did it again." I said through gritted teeth. Edward put his hand on the small of my back to guide me to the table. The current rushed through me again and my body became covered in goose bumps. I shivered which did not escape Edward's attention.

"You okay?" He asked his breath grazing my ear. I just nodded my head and prepared to pull the chair out, but Edward beat me to it. I thanked him as I sat. Everyone was watching us which made it twice as uncomfortable. Carlisle asked Edward to turn on the stereo before he sat down. Moments later Debussy filled the room and I felt myself relax into an old routine. Renesme smiled and turned to Carlisle and began what would be a long evening of conversation about our lives back in New York.

"Mommy used to play Claire De Lune at dinner time too." She stated without pause. "She said that, Music washes…"

"...away from the soul the dust of everyday life." Esme finished the statement with her. I blushed because it was her phrase that stuck with me. She smiled at me and I felt myself relax even more. It was like I had come home again. Not just to Forks but to my second family. Everything fell into place as dinner progressed.

*EPOV*

I half listened to Renesme as she prattled on about just about everything she could think of. There was so much to catch up on. My family seemed un-phased by it all. It was as if they had known her for her whole seven years. Alice would make little comments that indicated that she did know some of the information that my daughter was telling us.

My daughter.

I still could not wrap my head completely around it. It was at this point that I caught Bella go ten shades of red and look down. She was avoiding my gaze, and I turned my attention to what Renesme was saying. Then I realized that she was telling a story about someone Bella had dated. My jaw tensed.

Alice suddenly tried to change the subject. "So Nessie. What is the first thing on the list for our shopping trip? Knowing your mother you have nothing more than jeans, t-shirts and sweatshirts." In true child attention span form Renesme's attention went from the story she started to Alice's question. Bella didn't say anything but I saw her look at Alice and make a gesture with her hand. Alice just nodded as she listened to Renesme. If you weren't watching you would have missed the whole thing. My curiosity was peeked. What was Bella hiding now?

Dinner lasted longer than it had in years. My mother loved it. When it was clear that no one had any more room the usual fighting over who would clear the table and do the dishes. But as Emmett and Jasper went best 2 out of 3 for Rock-Paper-Scissors, Bella had gotten up and began clearing things around them.

"Bella dear, will you relax. You are a guest. You are the last one who should be doing that." My mother said touching her hand as Bella reached across her. Bella gave a brief smile.

"It has been too long. And you used to tell me to never feel like a guest but a part of the family. This means I am allowed to have dish duty every now and then." She continued on gathering plates and my mother gave up the fight. Instead she turned towards me.

"Well don't just sit there; you never let her do it alone before." She said before she gave me a sly grin and a wink. Emmett and Jasper decided to head into the family check the score for some game that was supposed to be on while Alice and Rose were trying to decide where they were going to take Renesme shopping first. I approached Bella who was rinsing dishes before putting them in the dishwasher.

"Need a hand?" I asked and she jumped, dropping the plate that was in her hand. It shattered on the floor and Bella looked like she had gone completely white. She gasped and then clutched her chest. I could almost hear her heart beating.

"Hey, are you okay?" I asked. I felt the protective instinct that I had always felt for Bella rising in me again as I crossed the kitchen to her in two steps. Had my presence frightened her? Didn't she hear me come into the room? Was there something else? I dreaded the thought that I could so easily frighten the one person I always wanted to protect from harm.

*BPOV*

I put my hand to my heart and was trying to will it to slow down. I had been so wrapped up in the day dream of what it would have been like if I hadn't pushed him away eight years ago. Would we be here? Having dinner as a family? Did he even want that back then? He was so quiet at dinner? Thank goodness Alice stepped in when Renesme started talking about James.

His voice cut through my thoughts and scared the shit out of me. I dropped a plate only to have it shatter. The next thing I knew he was next to me clutching my hands, examining me. Always the doctor even when he didn't need to be.

"I'm fine." I said wrenching my hands away from his touch. Esme and Carlisle both came into the room to check on the noise. Renesme followed seconds later with Rose and Alice in tow.

"What's going on? What fell? Bella are you okay? Edward?" Carlisle asked. Esme went to the large walk-in pantry and emerged with a broom and dust pan.

"Look out dears let me get this cleaned up. Edward take Bella up to the guest room and make sure she is okay. Alice keep Nessie over there so she doesn't get cut." Esme took the lead on all things in her home. It took a minute for me to realize what she had said and then I looked at Edward with narrow eyes.

"Great now your mother is calling her that too." I barked at him as we approached the stairs. Edward placed his hand on the small of my back. My whole body responded with the feeling of an electric current rushing through me. I shook my head thinking that it was something I would have gotten over, something that was a part of being young and naïve.

"Here come in here and sit down." Edward opened his bedroom door and gestured for me to sit down.

"I thought your mother said to bring me to the guest room?" I pointed to him while scanning his room quickly as he had done to mine. Not much had changed.

"Yeah well. We both know that I tend to do whatever I want anyways. So does it really matter?" He said as he scurried to the bathroom that was en suite to his room. I stood and walked to his dresser, then scanned the room again. There were pictures of his family all over. Tucked into the mirror was one of his, Alice, Emmett, Rose, Jasper and I we were young and all looked so happy. I saw the circles under my eyes; I tried to place the time period it would have been taken.

"It was the summer before high school started." Edward said not even looking up from the kit he held in his hand. I turned the picture over and saw the date. Wow he was right. I set the photo back into its place and looked around some more while he pulled out what he thought he needed. I hadn't cut myself thank goodness, but I don't think he had thought to check that just yet. I'm sure he was just so used to me hurting myself in some way that there must have been some protocol for him and Carlisle to follow.

"I'm fine you know. I didn't get cut. I'm not bleeding. You just startled me when you came into the kitchen." I said watching him do a mental check list of supplies needed for caring for Bella. He didn't respond right away so I wasn't sure if he heard me or not.

"Edward? Did you hear me? I said I'm fine." I repeated it stepping closer to him. He wasn't looking at the kit anymore, but he wouldn't look at me either. I followed his gaze to a collage that was on the wall next to his door. I didn't remember seeing it before so I stepped a little closer to look at it.

There were pictures of all of us. Of course he and I were never next to each other. There were words placed haphazardly around it. I stepped closer still. There were pictures of us when we were younger, growing up together. They spanned our childhood, adolescence and young adult periods.

"Alice made it for me." He whispered. "She used that poem from sophomore year that we had to memorize."

I walked up to the collage and read it to myself, part way through it Edward came up next to me and started reading it aloud.

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in

my heart) i am never without it (anywhere

i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done

by only me is your doing, my darling)

i fear

no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) i want

no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)

and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant

and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows

(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows

higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)

e.e. cummings

I turned to look at him and found him inches from me. I had not noticed him get so close while reading the poem. He was looking at me, had he been this close the whole time? The look on his face was almost sad. There was a longing in the green that I had dreamt of for years.

"Edward…"I began wanting to say something, to make him understand that I regretted not having him as a part of Renesme's life until now, that I had missed having him as my friend as well. I knew that he would never want me the way I had always wanted. Even the brief time in college when we had been together had been so hard to believe. Why would someone like him ever be interested in me? I wanted to tell him that I needed him as a friend again, especially at this point in time.

"Bella…" The way he said my name pulled me from my thoughts and all I could see were his lips. I forced my eyes to meet his. Deep dark green, a shade I felt I had seen before, a shade full of need and desire. We moved closer together, the tension almost over flowing. The spell was broken with a knock at the door and Alice's voice calling my name.

"Bella! Come on girl you need to get my new shopping partner home to rest. We have an early day tomorrow and lots of shopping to do." She pushed the door open and Edward and I stepped apart. Proving yet again that we would not be together.

"Coming Alice. Like I told you Edward, I'm fine. No cut. Just caught by surprise is all." I said as I walked toward Alice and then out the door. "Thank you for checking though." And with that I did what I do best and ran away from the Edward situation.

*EPOV*

I don't know what compelled me to do it. I had become terrified that she would see the collage and know that I hadn't let go of my love of her for all these years. And when she did see it, well then I wanted nothing more than for her to know that I still carried her in my heart. Alice of course had to come can interrupt things. Damn that pixie! She stood in my room looking at a retreating Bella and then back to me. I stood with my fists clenched.

"Did I interrupt something?" She asked with a gleam in her eye. I huffed and relaxed my hands, then walked out of my old room and downstairs. I was just in time to catch Bella and Renesme saying good night and preparing to head back next door.

"I'll walk you over and make sure you are all set." I said as I grabbed my keys. Bella looked at me as if she was going to protest. I needed answers and she was going to learn that she couldn't avoid me forever.


The quote about music is: Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life. ~Berthold Auerbach

And the poem is by E.E. Cummings it is one of my favorites.

Please review. I have been stuck on this one and could use some vibes positive or negative to help fuel the fire to keep going.