Alice's question was still ringing in my ears. How am I alive? She hasn't seen me in months and that's all she has to say?

Unbelievable.

I remained calm. "Why, what did you see?"

"I saw you jumping off a cliff. How could you out yourself in danger like that? Why would you want to kill yourself? What about Charlie?"

My tone chilled a few degrees and I glared. "What about Charlie? Well what about the little human you left behind? Huh! Did you ever think of her whilst you were swanning off to wherever you've been?"

Shocked, she gasped, "What are you saying? Of course we did. Bella, we left for you."

"Really, I don't remember asking you to."

"Bella, we love you. You're our sister."

Pushing away from her, "Bullshit. If you loved me so much you wouldn't have left."

"It's not that simple."

"Bella." I didn't hear the door open or someone approaching me.

"Jake, what are you doing here?"

"We wanted to see if you were alright. What is she doing here?"

"I could ask the same thing about you, mutt."

Jake snarled "Don't get me upset, it could end very badly."

I put my fingers to my mouth and whistled. "Hey, shut up. First off Alice, Jake is my friend."

She looked at me as though I'd gone mad. "Bella, you do know that werewolves are not good company."

Jake's "I'm not a werewolf" merged with mine own. "He isn't a werewolf."

"And secondly, you haven't explained why you're here. So talk."

Alice stepped back. "Well, I saw you jumping off a cliff. I came to help Charlie with the funeral arrangements."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "Well, aren't you the organised one. Well, you can see I'm alive now. Did you tell anyone else?"

"No. Edward hasn't been with us for some time. It's too hard for him."

Pathos, thy name is Edward Cullen.

"Well, as you can see, all is well here. You can go now."

"But?"

"Thanks for stopping by."

We watched as Alice left the house. In that moment, I was wrapped in Jake's arms.

"Are you okay?" His concern consumed me.

"Mhm, why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, how many of them are here?"

"It's just Alice and hopefully, she'll be heading back to wherever soon."

He sighed. "I thought...I was worried that if he ever came back, you'd..."

"That I'd go back to them? No, that's not possible. Even if I didn't have my family to look out for, I wouldn't go back."

I lowered myself to the sofa, he sat next to me. I laid my head back. The phone rang.

"Just leave it."

The ringing continued to grate on my nerves. Jake was nervous. My attitude or lack of attitude bothered him.

I didn't care.

The ringing stopped, only to start up again. Alice flew in as it once again stopped.

"Why didn't you answer the phone?"

I didn't bother looking at her. "What's it to you?"

She nearly screamed. "Bella that was Edward. Rosalie told him why I was here and he thinks you're dead." I shrugged. "Bella, he's gone to the Volturi. He wants to die too."

Jake growled as she put her small hand on my arms.

"You touch her and I'll rip your arm off."

"Bella, we have to go now. If we wait we won't make it in time."

"So go."

"Bella! This is Edward. Edward!"

I looked at her, raising my brow. "You know what Alice, the night you all left; Edward promised me that it would be like he never existed. Perhaps now he will make true on his promise."

Alice left in a state of shock. I leaned my head back and felt Jake's eyes on me. I couldn't bring myself to look at him. Later, I heard him talking to someone. It was probably Sam, wanting to know what was happening. I heard Jake's side of the conversation.

"No it was just the one. The little pixie. No, she's fine. Hang on, I'll ask. Bella, are you staying here tonight?"

"I should probably get home."

"The Pack are there now. Emily says she fed them out of the freezer. She hopes that was okay?"

"Well, that's what it's there for. Are the kids in bed?"

"Yeah, they waited as long as they could but they're all wiped."

I nodded, gathered my stuff together, locked up and drove over. Emily was waiting with a full plate in her hands.

"You look exhausted. Sit and eat."

I mumbled thanks and sat at the table with Jake. It felt weird having someone take over. I didn't like it. I mean, Emily was great and all but her mothering instincts were wasted on me. She was much better wiping the noses of the Pack. They needed all the help they could.

As my head hit the pillow, I expected to fall straight to sleep. It was not to be.

The next few days were somewhat challenging. Deadlines were coming up and revision fever had set in. The Pack had taken to dropping in quite regularly and Emily would often arrive bearing muffins. Ugh, what is it with Emily and muffins? They're tasty and all but not every day. Luckily the others hoovered them up at a rate of knots.

Five days after Alice's sudden appearance, Precious came running in. I looked up from the oven and Emily, Sam and Paul looked up from where they are keeping Grace occupied.

"Bella, they're back. The Cullens. They're here."

Growls came from Sam and Paul. They started talking about arranging a meeting at the treaty line. Jake had arrived shortly after Precious and ran over, pulling me into a hug.

"Jake, can't breathe."

"We won't let them hurt you again. Sam's going to meet with them tonight and he'll find out how long they're here."

Whatever.

I looked around and saw that Sam and Emily had left, leaving Jared, Embry and the others here. It looks like they were settling in for a long night.

Sam POV

We met the Cullen at the treaty line at 7pm.

"Alpha Uley, we're here to inform you that we're back in Forks for the foreseeable future."

What, they were settling?

"Why have you come back?"

"Alice had a vision with regards to Bella. We've come back to see her."

Could he really be that dense? "And what makes you think she wants you here? Your son left her alone in the woods. You all abandoned her and now you expect to walk back into her life?"

He winced, visibly. "That is our business. We'll go now."

I returned to Emily's, disheartened. We'd all hoped that their leaving and with Victoria dead, there would be no more need for our kind to phase. Now, I could see how foolish our dreams were.

Emily stood at the door, her arms wide open. I fell into them. She murmured into my ear, soft comforting words as I rested my head on her shoulder. Barely a minute later, I was once again in full Alpha mode. The Cullens were back. I would extend the patrols once again. Paul and I would take the day shifts and rotate the night shifts, so that the younger ones could still attend school. There was no way that I'd allow their education to slip. Perhaps it was foolish of me but I hoped that there would come a day when we would be able to leave the Res and begin our own lives. Until then, I was responsible for them.

I gave Bella a call. She seemed indifferent to the whole thing. In fact, the most emotion I had ever seen her to portray was when I found her back in September; nearly unconscious and whispering 'He's gone.'

Bella was an enigma. When it came to her family, especially little Grace, she was fiercely protective. I would never have thought she would have it in her. However, from the odd snippets of conversation we've had about her life before Forks, I could tell that she didn't have much of an upbringing. Several times, one of the others would let something slip and she would raise her eyebrows at them until they stopped talking. She would then shake her head in disbelief. Whatever had gone on when she was growing up had made her fiercely independent, to the extent that she hated people doing things for her. Don't get me wrong, independence is a good thing but every once in a while, it's good to let others help you.

Clearly, this was one of the big differences between Bella and the rest of us.

Bella POV

I had a couple of assignments to hand in so I timed my arrival at the school to coincide with lunch time. They welcomed me at the office and I was leaving the room when I ran into Precious.

"Bella, you're here. Come on, I'm meeting the others in the canteen."

We entered the canteen and from the corner of my eye, I saw Edward, Alice and Jasper, sitting there as though they had never left. Precious pulled me over to where the Pack were sitting.

"Look who I found." She announced.

There was a chorus of "Hey Bellas" before they all turned back to their food.

"Hey Bella, do you mind lending me some cash? I'm a little short."

Okay, so lunch is on me.

I watched as Kit and Will ladened their trays with food. When they arrived at the till, Kit indicated to me.

"She's paying."

They left me at the till with a hefty bill. I had the money but I didn't appreciate their attitude. Just as they were sitting down, I grabbed their trays.

"Thanks for carrying my lunch for me."

Jared stared at the food. "Bella, you're seriously not going to eat all that are you?"

"Well, I'll do my best."

Kit and Will were petulant. "But, that's ours."

"Hey, I bought it. I own it. Get over it."

Precious sidled in next to me and grabbed a handful of chips.

She smirked at them. "Great choice boys. You should choose our lunch more often."

We watched as their faces fell.

They both begged. "Come on Bella, we're hungry too."

Rolling my eyes. "Then pay up."

They sighed but took out their wallets. As they pressed the money into her open hand, I released my hold on the trays, taking their brownies, as they fell short.

"Bella."

I didn't turn around. I knew it was Edward standing there.

"Love, please. I left to protect you."

I shivered. Precious looked concerned. "Are you alright?"

I nodded. "Just a funny feeling. Like there's something behind me but that's not possible."

Quil was confused. "But there is someone there."

"Well there shouldn't be. Given that it doesn't exist anymore."

Precious snorted and Jake, Jared, Embry and Quil smirked.

"Bella, please talk to me."

I shook my head. "Sorry, there's something in my ear. Bleh, it's really annoying. I wish it would go away." With that I turned to look at the person I had wanted to be with. He was still the same Porcelain style Greek God. He was so pretty that it hurt to look at him. I managed to emphasise the words 'go away.' He lowered his heard, taking the hint. Everyone was staring at me.

"Wow Bells, that was harsh."

"Do you think so? Well, I'm sorry that you're so easily offended Jake."

Precious had my back. "He deserved it though. Did you see the way they're all dressed? Who are they trying to impress?"

"I think its tacky wearing all that designer stuff." Will added.

"Leave them be. It's not their fault that Alice won't let them wear anything else." I smirked.

"What? She chooses their outfits? Can anyone say whipped?" Kit looked in their direction.

"Why did you put up with them?"

"I'm not sure anymore."

I left soon after that.

On the drive home, I thought about our conversation. Seeing Edward made me wonder why I had fallen for him. Of course, he was charming but he was a victim of his upbringing. All that talk of honour made me sick. It was something that belonged in old movies, not in real life.

I arrived at Emily's to see Emily in front of the oven. Sam was sitting at the table and Grace was on the floor by his feet, tapping his shoes and sitting next to... Paul?

Grace looked up at that moment, with a huge smile on her face.

"Mama!"

We all turned to her.

"Did she just..."

"I think so." I knelt before her. "Grace."

She held out her arms and I swooped her up.

"Mama."

The two men were speechless. Imagine they could change into full grown wolves and rip Vampires apart but the sight of a baby saying her first word completely threw them.

"Can you say Bella?"

She looked at me like I was mad but I could see her little mouth trying to get the word out.

"Mama?"

"I'm Bella."

"Bbb B? Mama B?"

All of us roared out laughing. Even Grace joined in, though she was taken aback by the volume.

After school we told the others and from then on, I was known as Mama B.

I was at home a few days later when the phone rang.

"Hello, is there an Isabella Swan at this address?"

"Speaking."

"Ma'am, I'm calling from Arizona Police department. We have news about your mother. Would it be possible for you to come to Arizona?"

"Can you tell me what it is first?"

"I'm sorry to tell you Miss Swan, but we've found a body and we need someone to identify it."