My Love by Sia can be found on the Eclipse soundtrack (link to song on my profile). I just happened to be listening to the soundtrack at the time I was writing this and it was so fitting. If you dare, read this while listening to the song.

My ongoing appreciation for all the reviews and alerts. Butterflybetty, thank you for being my sounding board, voice of reason and for reminding me to breathe. I literally couldn't do this with out you!

This chapter is longer than normal. I was inspired and had so much I wanted to happen by the end of it, I just kept going. Tigger5600, thank your idea. It was something I hadn't thought of but works out nicely and will add more to the story down the road.

Please R+R and tell me if you like it, don't like it, or if you have any ideas.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Twilight. I just use its characters to tell my story.

***********************KLEENEX ALERT***********************

Coming Home

Chapter Eleven

EPOV

It's been just over two weeks now. Two weeks since that day that forever changed our lives.

Today is the memorial service. As Mom agreed, she waited to approach Renee with the idea of the service. A day or so later, Renee and Charlie agreed they thought it was a good idea, so Mom, Renee and Alice started planning the service. They keep asking my opinions about music, flowers, readings, etc. but I try to keep my opinion to a minimum on the issue. Even though I agreed to the service, I am still not happy about it.

The kids are upstairs getting dressed. Our neighbor, Tanya Denali, is going to watch Lizzie for me. The service is definitely not somewhere she needs to be.

I look in the mirror attempting to try to put my tie on but I just can't get it right. My hands are shaking too much. After several attempts I hear, "Dad, let me help you." Camryn comes walking around me and takes the tie out of hand and starts doing it for me.

Camryn is wearing a black dress with white beading around the collar of her neck. She has her hair up in a high ponytail. She looks so grown up. When did that happen? She looks more and more like her mother.

In less than a minute, she has the tie done and steps back looking over her work. "You look really handsome, Dad."

"Thanks, Cam. You did a really good job. Where did you learn to tie a tie like that?"

She scoffs for a moment, "I just picked it up somewhere." She looks away from me.

"No, really? Where did you learn to do that?"

She continues to divert her eyes from mine. I walk up to her and place both hands on her shoulders, getting her attention. "Camryn? Did Mom teach you how to tie a tie?"

After a moment, Camryn looks up at me with tears in her eyes. "Yes. She said that every girl should learn how to tie a tie. She showed me how to do it….a few months ago." The tears start flowing down her cheeks. I pull her into my arms and try to console her. I brush my hands over her head.

"Camryn, I know that it is very hard for you to believe, but it is going to be okay. I truly believe it and you should, too."

I haven't completely shared with my kids my feelings on Bella returning. I don't know how long it will take for Bella to come home, but I want them to be able to move on, in the meantime.

After a moment or two, Camryn pulls away trying to compose herself. She says she's going to go check on the boys. I agree to meet her downstairs in a little bit.

I went into the bathroom to try and tame my unruly hair, but gave up on it quickly. Bella liked it this way, anyways.

I grab my jacket off the bed and walk out of our bedroom. As I walk down the hall to the stairs, I walk past EJ's room. He's dressed up in his suit, sitting off the side of his bed looking out his window….lost in thought.

I stand there for a minute just looking at him. He has my unruly hair and eyes, but Bella's nose and smile. It is amazing how each of our children has an equal amount of each of us in them.

I walk into EJ's room and sit down next to him. He looks over at me and returns to looking out his bedroom window.

"Do you think she can see and hear us?"

"I believe that anyone that leaves this life is connected to us in the afterlife. I believe that they walk with us, talk to us and watch out for us."

After a moment or two, "Dad? I need her hear me."

"Talk to me, son."

After another pause, "I was horrible to her the night before she left, Dad. We fought….I don't even remember what it was about, but...I said things to her. I told her that I hated her and I wish she wasn't my Mom. When I woke up the next morning to go and apologize to her, she had already left to go to the airport. She had that early morning flight…and….."

Wow. He's been carrying this with him for the last 2 weeks. What a burden for a 9 year old boy to carry around with him.

"Oh, EJ."

"Dad, I didn't mean it, I truly didn't mean it. I won't ever be able to take those words back…..those are the last words she ever heard from me before she left." He says sobbing. "I only spoke with her briefly each time she called while….she was away. I didn't say anything on the phone about it because I wanted to apologize when she got home….in….person. Now, I'll never have that chance."

I pulled my son into my arms. I let him cry for a few minutes. I had to think of what I was going to say to him…to offset his fears somehow. I had to choose my words wisely.

"EJ, look at me." He pulled away and did as I said.

"I want you to listen to me and I want you to listen really well. Okay?" He nodded.

"You mother loves you with all her heart. She knows you love her, too. We all sometimes say things that we don't truly mean, especially in the heat of a moment. You mother never has or will doubt your love for her. You need to let this go. What you can do is learn from this situation, though. Never go to bed angry. Never put off tomorrow what you can do today….always tell those you love that you love them every day. If anything, this situation teaches us not to take each day for granted. I believe that no matter where your Mom is, she can hear you. You must believe that."

EJ was quiet for a few moments and wipes his tears from his face and looks as though he is contemplating what I've said.

The next thing I know, he grabs me into a tight hug and says, "Thank you, Dad. I love you!"

The ends of my mouth curl up a bit slightly and I'm relieved. "I love you, too, son."

He pulls away, stands up to fix his jacket and looks out his window again….lost in thought, for only a moment. He looks back at me….looking a weight has been taken off his shoulders and walks out of his room. I hear him walk down the stairs and starts speaking to someone.

I sit there a moment longer and will myself to go downstairs. I walk down the stairs and I realize that EJ was speaking to my parents and Tanya. She has Lizzie already in her highchair ready to feed her some lunch. I go over and kiss the top of her head and whisper in her ear that her Mommy and Daddy love her very much. She gives me a huge smile and then gives Tanya her attention.

EJ, Camryn, my parents and I stand by the front door. I call up to Matthew that it is time to go. He walks down the stairs rather slowly and stand next to Camryn. She puts an arm around his shoulders and walks him out the door. The rest of us follow right behind.

[My Love by Sia starts playing in the background]

Thirty minute later, I stand at the back of the church. I can see dozens of wreaths and various baskets of flowers sitting around a framed portrait of Bella. Oh how beautiful she is. A breath gets caught in my throat. I need to keep my emotions in check. I try not to get too worked up over this service. I'm not saying goodbye to her but my emotions of missing her are catching up with me.

I go and make my way up to the front of the church and look over the flowers. Reverend Webber comes up behind me. I speak with him for just a few moments. He wanted to give me his condolences.

He has watched Bella and I grow up, fall in love and he actually married us in "our" meadow. His daughter, Angela is Bella's publisher and went to high school with us. It meant a lot to me that he was doing this service for us….that it was someone who actually knew Bella and not knew of her.

I went and sat down at the front pew just staring at Bella's picture. Shortly after, I feet a hand on my shoulder. Emmett and Jasper were standing next to me. I stood up and shook each of their hands and gave them a hug.

"You know, we wouldn't have been able to stand her being with anyone else. You were the only one that we knew our little sister would have been taken care of and loved they way that she deserved to." said Emmett.

"She still deserved better that me."

"You were it for her, man. You knew her as well as we did. Once she made up her mind, there was no changing it. She loved you unconditionally." Jasper says.

"Thanks, man."

I look down the aisle at the front of the church and I see the kids, Rose, Alice and our parents making their way down.

I put on the 'brave face' I know I'll have to have on the rest of the day.

Renee pulls me into a hug and whispers in my ear, "Thank you for loving my little girl."

I tighten our hug and whisper back, "It is my pleasure." I refuse to use past tense.

Thirty minutes later, I realized the church is almost filled to maximum capacity. Everyone in town has come out to pay their respects. Quietly, music starts to play signaling everyone to take a seat. The service is about to begin.

Reverend Webber starts talking. I see his lips moving, but I can't hear him. I can't concentrate on his words. I just continue staring at the beautiful creature in the picture.

After a while, I feel a pat on my shoulder by someone as they walk to the front of the church. It brings me out of my trance and I see it is Jasper. He's about to speak.

"Isabella, we used to call her "Bella" or simply "B".

"I have so many memories about Bella. She, Emmett and I were very close. We were extremely lucky to have each other. From childhood to adulthood, we spoke to each other almost every day. She was my little sister, confidant and best friend."

"Bella was the rock of our family. She was the glue that kept us all together. Her family and friends all seemed to gravitate around her. She was always there for us. She never would hesistate to give us help, advice or offer a shoulder to cry on. She was a very giving and selfless person."

"Bella was an honor student. She graduated with honors from The University of Washington with a Masters in English Literature. She had a passion for reading, even at a young age. She told us all she was going be a writer when she grew up. I don't know how many times she had read Wuthering Heights over and over again, as if each time was the first."

"You can't tell you the thrill she got from being able to share her writing with people. It is amazing that she was able touch millions of people with her books."

"Bella also had a love of music, a love she shared with her husband. She also had a passion for cooking and photography. She loved to capture her family in the moment of enjoying their own passions…whether it was of her children playing sports, cheerleading or just the family gathering on a weekend for a barbeque."

"Bella was very blessed to have fallen in love a wonderful childhood friend. They literally grew up together from a very young age. They eventually became high school sweethearts, were married and blessed with a wonderful family. She always said she was the lucky one, but I know we all were the lucky ones."

"Bella was a wonderful woman who brightened our lives with her smile and grace. She was very stubborn and knew what she wanted and went after it without a second thought. She should us all if you wanted it bad enough, you could achieve anything."

"At the peak of Bella's wonderful life, no one thought that her life will end in a tragic way."

"Today, we are gathered here to remember my little sister, Isabella Marie Swan Cullen."

"We are confident that Bella is now watching over us. She will be in our hearts forever. I thank you….my Bella….my little….sister, Bella. Thank you for being a part of all our lives…for enriching them even more than we could have possibly hoped. I thank you...for being allowing us...to be a part of your life's journey. We will always be proud of you. "

"Bella's favorite quote , 'Remember to live each day as your last. Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery but today is a gift that is why it is called The Present. "

"Bella was daddy's girl.
Bella was a sister.

Bella was a wife and a mother.

Bella was a friend and author.

Bella is our guardian angel.

Bella you are loved and will be greatly missed. I will think of you every day for the rest of my life.

May God Bless you all and give you comfort.
We love you."

Jasper couldn't contain his grief any longer and broke down. Alice had to go up and walk him back down to his seat. There wasn't a dry eye in the church.

Reverend Webber walked back up to the front of the church and looked at me as if asking if I wanted to say anything. I ever so slightly shook my head and looked down. I couldn't do it.

Reverend Webber concluded the service and announced that we were all gathering at my parent's home after the service and everyone was welcome to come over. Slowly, everyone filed out of the church.

My family were last to leave. Before leaving Matthew asked, "Dad, do you think anyone would mind if I kept that picture of Mom?"

I looked at my youngest son and smiled at him. "No, son. I don't think anyone would mind. Why don't you grab it and we'll go put it in the car."

A small grin appeared on my son's face as he went over, stood in front of the picture and looked at it for a moment before taking it off the stand. He walked back over to me, kept the picture in one hand, grabbed my hand with his other and we walked out of the church, followed by the rest of our family.

Dozens upon dozens of people arrived at my parent's home offering their sympathy and prayers. I have very little recognition of whom came by and shook my hand. After what felt like hours, I made my way out the back of my parent's home, to their deck overlooking their flower garden. It was quiet and peaceful out here. It looked as though it was going to start raining at any given moment, so everyone stayed inside.

"Edward? Edward?"

"Ummm..yeah…oh Charlie."

"Edward, I'd like to introduce you to a friend of mine, Billy Black." Motioning to the man standing next to him.

"Oh, yes. Mister Black. Thank you for stopping by. It is very kind of you."

"I am so sorry for your loss. I had to come. I had to show support to my good friend here and his family." Billy said.

"Edward, Billy has had a loss in his family just as we've have."

"Oh, I am so sorry to hear that Mister Black."

"Edward, please call me Billy."

"You see Edward….Billy lost his son on the same given day as we lost our Bella." Charlie said.

I look at him with confusion. "I am sorry, I don't think I quite understand."

"Edward, my son, Jacob, was on that same flight your Bella was on."