Hi Everyone... Thanks so much for the people who read my story. I appreciate the comments, reviews and recs. I, also, welcome any suggestions.

Again, let me thank am13er for introducing me to Fan Fiction. She, also, prereads this story. Thank you to my daughter who prereads, too.

And I want to thank Linda Cullenboyz, Amazing Beta. She has great eyes and understanding of my story.

And as always, Stephenie Meyer owns the characters. I just borrow them for a bit.

XOXOX

Finding Home

Chapter Twelve: The Find

From previous chapter:

"I think there is a huge bin in the garage, Edward." I head to the side door, open it and flip on the light. Edward carries the bag into the garage, after me. We both stop in out tracks and stare. I look at him and he looks at me. "Oh, wow!"

Edward and I stand there like marble statues. Still in shock, I finally turn to him and gasp out, "I completely forgot about this."

"We didn't think to come into the garage," Edward whispers.

Alice comes up between us, separates us by our shoulders us and stares. "Oh my God!"

In the middle of the garage, there sits a silver, double-cab, Toyota

Tundra truck that looks brand, spanking new. Gran's ride.

Edward drops the garbage bag to the side and walks around the truck, smoothing his hands over the surface and looking through the windows. He turns his head to look at me. "It's been sitting here for four years?"

I try to find my voice and swallow. "Yeah, I guess so."

He opens the driver's door and looks inside. "The keys aren't here."

"Hold on, Edward." I run back into the kitchen and search the drawer near the sink with all the miscellaneous items, throwing everything onto the counter-top. I look around and remember the key hooks in the pantry. Snapping my fingers, I open the pantry door, find the keys and grab them to hurry out the garage door.

With the truck door open, Edward sits behind the wheel, while Alice bounces next to him in the shotgun seat. I hand him the keys and he puts them into the ignition. Sure enough, the truck starts up with a roar.

Alice screams over the rumble of the engine, "You got to be kidding me. This is amazing."

Edward looks dumbfounded. "It's not possible."

"Why not?" I ask.

"Bella a truck can't sit for four years and just start. The gas, the oil. Weather conditions. The tires for fuck's sake would be flat. It doesn't make any sense," he says with a frown. "Someone has to be driving this."

"Edward, my gran left this house, four years ago. The only time she came back was last May for a few days." My voice becomes shaky.

"That's when she knew she was sick." I walk towards the kitchen door.

Edward shuts the truck off and gets out of the cab. He bends down and inspects the tires, again. Then, follows me back into the house. "Maybe your dad was looking after the truck."

I shake my head and sit down at the table. "No, I don't think so, Edward. Dad hasn't been near the house, since I told him about my plans."

Alice scoots a chair up next to me. "You ok?"

I smile at her. "Yeah, thanks."

"That truck has been cleaned. There's no dust. The tires are full of air and there is some dirt in the treads. Someone has been babysitting your grandmother's truck, Bella." Edward leans back on the wall.

"Well, there's one person who might know. I'll have to call him tomorrow and ask," I mumble to myself.

"Who's that?" Edwards scowl.

"Gran's attorney. Well, mine, now," I say. "Jason was such a huge help to me, when Gran died. He was there for me, until my dad showed up. He offered to stay with me, so I wouldn't be alone."

"Oh, yeah?" Edward growls.

"It wasn't anything like that, Edward. Jason's like my mom's age. Maybe older? I don't know. He was being a good friend."

"What are you going to do about the truck, Bella?" Alice questions.

I stare at Edward, "Well, you guys need to get around. And it's here." I shrug. "It comes with the house?" Edward attempts to protest. "Don't... start. Besides, a guy needs his own ride. Esme and Mags will have doctors appointments. Alice needs to go to the mall."

"I don't need the truck, Edward. I have Jazz, and if I need to go shopping, I'll go with Bella." She looks at me. "Right?"

"Yeah, sure. And I think we need to keep this between our families and Jasper. I get it about James and Lauren. If they find out that this house and this truck belong to me, they will have a field day." I frown.

Edward shakes his head and huffs, "The bought boyfriend?" He grabs my hand, "You know..."

I reassure him, "Edward, I know. We've both had money and look at the people it brought to us. It's just not important. We can't let anyone mess with us. Okay?" He nods.

Alice jumps up. "Well, I've got to go tell mom." She sprints up the spiral staircase.

Edward sighs, combing a hand through his freshly cut hair. "I don't know what to say."

I stand up and walk over to him. "How about a thank you and call it a day?" I smile.

He grabs me at my hips and hugs me tightly. "Can I kiss you?"

I look up at him. "Yeah, I think so." I giggle, as our lips meet. His sparkling green eyes are playful, as we stare at one another. "You look so amazing with your haircut." Peck. "Handsome." Peck. "So sexy." Peck. Ooo, Soft lips. I smooth my hands up his arms and around his neck.

Edward deepens the kiss. His arms wrap around my waist and he holds me close with his hands massaging my back, picking me up. He is getting so good at this kissing thing.

I break the kiss, Edward sets me down and I stand back. "Woo, it's getting hot in here." I fan my hand in front of my face.

"Want to go for a ride and cool off?" He grins.

"Maybe I like the heat." I openly flirt.

"Maybe, I'd like it hotter." He challenges.

"And how blue do you want those balls?" I kid.

He bows his head in defeat. "Thanks for rubbing it in."

With my palms up, I wiggle my fingers. "Hey, I kept my hands to myself this time, thank you very much!" I step back and tease him.

Edward bursts out laughing. "Bella, you're killing me."

Esme carefully walks down the spiral staircase with Alice right behind her. Esme glows at Edward. "What's so funny, dear?"

He looks at me and says, "Bella." And begins to laugh again.

His chuckles are infectious and we all start to laugh along with him.

Esme holds her wrist and sighs, "Oh, it's so good to laugh." She sits at the table, as Alice pulls a chair out for her. "Thank you, Alice." She wipes the happy tears from under her eyes.

Alice grins, "So what the hell were we laughing about?" She sits next to Esme and hands her a napkin.

Edward blows out, still laughing, "Whooo, I accused Bella of rubbing my..."

I interrupt, "Edward!" Oh, I give him the stink eye extraordinaire. "You're mom doesn't need to know the details."

I turn to Esme. "I wasn't rubbing anything." I try to defend myself, with a red face, since Edward threw me under the bus.

Alice grins and tries to hold back her giggles, looking back and forth from Edward to me.

"Mom, Bella didn't do anything." He continues to laugh, "She's just so easy to play with."

I stare at him. "Keep going, your mother's going to think I'm a bigger ho that Lauren Mallory."

Edward points at me, but whispers, "You are nothing like her, Bella!"

Alice grins. "Aw, they're having their first fight."

"We're not fighting," Edward huffs out.

"Yes, we are!" I walk out the back door with Edward close behind me.

He grabs my wrist and turns me to face him.

"Bella, c'mon. I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything." He sighs heavily, while he rubs my upper arms.

"It's not your fault. It's me." I lean in to him with my forehead on his chest and my hands on his waist. I talk into his chest. "I always felt awkward about guys. Most of the kids I went to school with in New York were fuck buddies. Everybody was doing everybody else." I look up at Edward. "I'm not a virgin, because I'm holding out for marriage. I just didn't want to give it up to just anyone, you know?"

Edward bends down and kisses me lightly on the lips. "I'm not pushing you." He outlines my face with his fingertips. "I don't want to fuck you, Bella."

My heart sinks into my stomach and I want to throw up from his rejection. "You don't want me?" I whisper.

"No, no, not like that," he explains. "I want more." He gives me a half smile. "Bella, my dad and I were pretty tight. I liked being around him, not like my friends and their dads. Man, when he died, I was lost. I stopped being a kid. I had to take care of my mom and Alice. I didn't go out on dates. I didn't have the time. I didn't make the time to get laid."

"Oh, Edward." I hug him. "I'm sorry."

"I don't want the Lauren Mallorys that are out there, Bella. They're not going to give a shit where I've been and where I want to go. They're too into themselves." He takes a deep breath. "You're all I think about."

"You're all I think about, too." He places his hand on my cheek, I grab it and kiss his palm. "I care about how you feel..." I cup my hand on his cheek. "If you are all right..." I giggle. "If you ate..." He chuckles. "I meant everything I said to your mother."

"Fuck, woman, you turned my life around." He squeezes me tight to him.

"Edward? Edward! I can't breathe," I gasp. And he starts the tickling my sides, again. I shout out, "Nooooooooooooo." Edward quickly attacks my lips with his and muffles my screams. We both start laughing.

Alice peaks her head out the door. "Are you two done fighting?"

Edward snaps at her. "We're not fighting."

I nod my head. "Alice, we made up." I grin at Edward.

"Well, whatever you are not doing, do you want to watch a movie with Jazz and me?" she asks.

"Actually, I'd like to try the truck out. Maybe, you and Jazz want to take a ride with Bella and me?" Edward asks. "Then, we can come back and watch a movie."

Alice bounces. "That's a great idea. I'll go call Jazz." She starts to leave, but turns around. "Aw, Bella? May I borrow your phone?"

"Sure. It's on the kitchen counter." I explain.

"Allie, tell him we're going to the diner." Edward looks at me. "Cheap date, okay?"

I hug him. "There's nothing cheap about you." Edward kisses my nose.

We walk back into the kitchen and tell Esme of our plans. She tells me she thinks I am an angel. Okay, it's only a truck. So, I try to heat up some dinner for her and Mags, but she scoots me out, saying she is quite capable of using a microwave with one hand. Who am I to argue?

We drive down Forks Avenue to the Forks Coffee Shop. Their motto is "Nobody leaves Hungry" and they serve the best berry cobblers that make your mouth water. The burgers are pretty good, too. They won't serve them rare, though. "We gotta cook them, til the animal is dead."

Okaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay.

Edward parks in the front and we pile out of the truck. He takes my hand and we walk in together, as Jasper holds onto to Alice. The cashier tells us to sit anywhere and the waitress will be right with us. She stares at Edward.

I scoot into the worn, padded booth, as Edward sits next to me. Alice and Jasper mirror us. The waitress walks up, as she pulls a pencil out from behind her ear. She cracks her gum and stares at Edward. "God Cullen, you finally cut your hair?" she spouts.

Edward bows his head, but she continues on. "You're looking really good." She flirts. Aw, hello, girlfriend here! Skinny little blonde's about to meet my palm.

"It's no biggy, Jane." He pushes away from her and closer to me.

I clear my throat loudly. "Jane, is it?" I ask.

She turns her stare from Edward to me and snottily says to me, "Yeah, it's Jane."

I extend my hand politely, "My name is Bella." I shake her hand hard. "I'm Edward's girlfriend." I smile broadly. Alice giggles into Jasper's shoulder. He looks straight ahead, trying not to laugh. Edward is between a rock and a hard place and his ears turn beet red.

She stares at me like I have two heads. "Really? I didn't know he had a girlfriend." She snaps her gum.

I snap back, "Well, he does now!"

Edward smiles at me, takes my hand and intertwines his fingers with mine.

Deadpan face, Jane says, "Oh!" Takes a pad out of her apron and asks, "What will you have?"

Alice speaks up, "What are the specials?"

"If you look on the menu, they're there." Jane snips.

Alice squints her eyes and glares at Jane. "Well, then, can we have a few more minutes to be able to LOOK at the menu?"

Jane grumbles, "I'll go get you water." She walks away.

Alice bursts out laughing. "Well, she left with her panties in a knot." She whispers, "Serves her right!"

Edward points at his sister. "C'mon, Allie."

"Don't Allie me. She's a bitch." She points back at Edward, waving her finger in the air.

"It's not worth it." He stares at Alice.

"She's always had the hots for you. Even when she got knocked up by her cousin and dropped out of school," Alice breathlessly spouts.

"What?" I question. I do put my eyes back into my head.

"Alex was a cousin, once removed or something. They weren't blood related. But it's still all weird." Alice settles back to weave the tale. "Jane wanted to go out with Edward."

Edward moans, "Fuck, I wasn't interested."

"So, Jane tried everything. She'd call the house at all hours. Follow Edward to work. Send him gifts."

"I never kept anything," he tells me.

Jasper adds, "She even came to my house looking for Edward, begging me to help her."

"Geez, she's a wacko!" I put my arm around Edward and rub his back.

Alice shakes her head. "But the kicker? Once we lost everything, she lost interest."

We are silent, when Jane comes back to the table with four waters. I won't drink mine for fear she spit in it. Okay, I'm skeptical. We all order burgers and fries with cokes. Jane won't look at me, but Alice gives her a stink eye for me.

I keep an eye on her and our food.

Jasper leans over the table towards Edward. "Man, your hair is turning heads."

Edward leans into Jasper rather annoyed. "Fuck. It's only hair."

They both turn around, when James walks in with a very tall, fiery redhead with long red nails and full red lips. She drapes herself all over him like a cheap rug.

Larry follows James, holding onto the waist of a tall strawberry blond with gigantic boobs and legs that go on forever. All four of them tower over our table, as they walk by. I swear, it feels like it's all in slow motion of the Titans!

As James passes our table, he looks over his shoulder at me and smirks.

Edward whispers in my ear, "I won't let him hurt you."

"I know." I smile at him. Then, I glare at James.

Alice frowns. "He's such a creepy asshole like his dad. And the redhead, Victoria, is perfect for him. She's a hyper ho."

Jane carries a huge circular tray with our food. She sloppily places the plates onto our table and leaves. We dig in and hungrily devour our burgers, in between all the stares of the nosey Titans.

From the kitchen area, behind a counter, Jane totals up our bill. She walks over to us, throws it onto the table and walks away without a glance.

After Edward and Jazz take care of the bill with the cashier, Alice and your's truly walk to the truck. Edward opens the passenger door for me, while Alice and Jasper get into the back. I turn to get a quick kiss on the forehead. Then, I freeze in my stance. The four Titans walk out the diner and head our way.

"Cullen, you win the lottery or something?" James shouts out.

"Hey man, that's some bitchin' wheels you got there," Larry screeches. He slaps his hands on the hood.

Both girls stand off to the side, giggling to one another, as James and Larry approach Edward. Victoria whines out, "Like your haircut, Edward."

James turns to her, "Shut it!"

Victoria gives him a nasty look.

"Where'd you get the truck, Cullen? You don't have any money." James challenges.

Edward starts to walk away from me, but I grab his hand, look up at him and hold tight.

"Bella, it's okay. Please, get into the truck," he pleads.

I reluctantly get into the truck, as Edward closes the door. He walks to the driver's side and opens the door.

"Cullen! I asked you a question." James roars.

Edward stares at him. "You know, James, I don't think I owe you a fucking answer."

"I asked you where you got that truck? It's a simple question." James taunts.

Edward sighs. "Look, I have a truck. It's none of your fucking business how I got it. Your dad already took what we had. But he has no rights to what we have, now. Get it?"

James lunges for Edward, balling up his fist. Edward quickly moves to wrap his fingers of his right hand around James' fist and brings him down to his knees. Larry moves forward, but Edward pulls up his other hand to stop him.

"I don't want to fight, James. Get up and go home. You, too, Larry." Edward lets go of him.

"This isn't over, Cullen." James rubs his hand, walking towards Victoria. He points daggers at Edward. "Not by a fucking long shot."

Edward gets into the truck and we pull out of the parking lot.

On the way back home, no one says a word. I stare out the window, as Edward drives with his head forward. Alice and Jasper are quiet. I look into the side mirror and Alice shakes her head at me with a frown. I nod at her and we remain silent.

Once Edward parks in the garage, he gets out of the cab and goes into the kitchen. He doesn't wait for us.

"Alice, what is going on?" I ask her, as I get out of the truck.

"Edward should tell you." Alice stands with Jasper.

"Bella, he'll calm down in a minute. James just pushes all the wrong buttons in Edward." Jasper adds.

"Does this have anything to do with what his father did to your house and cars?" I ask Alice.

"Yeah. And revenge," Alice spills out.

"What?" I am speechless.

"There was this feud. James' dad tried every trick in the book to date my mother, when they were teenagers. He was sly and slithery back then, too. My mom didn't want anything to do with him. He was basically the class bully. So, when my dad moved here, he fell for mom. Love at first sight." Alice smiles.

"And your mom?" I question.

"Oh, the same. She and my dad were each other's firsts. And James senior was pissed. He tried so hard to break them up." Alice growls. "But they ignored him."

"Wow." This is so much like Edward and me.

"As they all got older, Dad and James Senior started to work together. Dad may have been a surgeon, but he had a lot of business savvy. James Senior hooked up with a few of dad's deals... We didn't know he had control of our mortgages and loans." She looks at me. "As soon as dad was buried, he came after mom. Like time stood still. He had been married many times, but always wanted mom. So, he consoled her through the roughest times. But he had an angle. Edward and I saw right through him. But so did mom. She finally got sick of his hanging around and tossed him out. That's when he collected. I still can't believe dad signed contracts that would put him in power," she mumbles.

I ask, "How do you know that he had the power?"

"Bella, everything was in writing with Dad's signature." Alice sighs. "So, as Senior tried to push Dad around, James Jr. tries to push Edward around."

I nod my head. "I see."

Alice, Jasper and I walk into the kitchen, but Edward isn't there.

I announce, "I'm going downstairs."

When I land on the last step, I find Edward on the sofa. He's lying on his back with his arm over his eyes.

I stop. "Edward, are you okay?"

He quietly answers, "Got a headache."

"Did you take anything?" I ask.

He answers so softly, "No."

I walk towards the sofa. "Can you sit up?"

He slowly sits up, with feet on the floor and leans his elbows on his thighs. I crawl behind him with my legs wrapped around his legs. He leans back into me and I rub his neck gently.

"That feels good." He sighs.

I continue to massage his neck up to his temples. His head moves into my hands. "Just relax. Take a deep breath in through your nose and then out through your mouth."

"You trying to hypnotize me?" He leans further into me.

"Just want you to relax, Edward." I whisper near his ear.

"Oh, baby, don't stop," he moans.

I slide my hands over his neck down his shoulders and up his arms. I rotate my thumbs at the base of his neck and down his spine. I can feel the tingle. I start to scratch his head, lightly, digging my nails into his scalp. The noises that come out of this boy.

"Bella, that feels so fucking amazing. You make me feel so good," he mutters.

I wrap my arms around his shoulders and kiss his neck, nibble his ear and scratch his head. He grabs around me to place me on my back on the sofa. Edward hovers over me with a small smile. "You okay?" he hums in my ear, rubbing my sides.

"Couldn't be any better," I smile up at him.

He bends down and kisses me with small, short pecks. He smiles. The kisses become more intense. I can never get enough of Edward's mouth.

With his lips on mine, he mumbles, "I'm sorry I was being a douchebag. It seems James and his dad want the Cullen mens' women. James senior still wants my mom. And I won't let junior get close to you."

"You know, Edward, he doesn't scare me anymore." We sit up. "He's a selfish ass who thinks he can get whatever he wants." I sit on his lap, facing him and looking Edward deeply in his eyes. "He won't hurt me."

"He's not to be trusted or underestimated, Bella," he firmly points out to me. "He's a loaded gun about to fire."

"Well, I'm the police chief's daughter, Edward. I can disarm his kind of explosion." I smugly state.

Hmmm, that leaves Bella wide open for some definite surprises and new things to learn about Edward. And what about the truck?

AN: Also, thank you everyone for the two week wait for this chapter. Moving is never a pleasant adventure, especially from Florida to Louisiana and a stretch of dark highway in Mississippi … no lighting... in wet weather.

Mardi Gras is in full bloom. So, I have beads... a lot of them. It's cold, very cold. So, the adjustment from subtropical weather to really cold is mind boggling.

recs:

The Wharf by MandyLeigh87

Sincerely, Sergeant Mason by 2carm2carm2

Getting by by Lindseybelle

Inside Man by ooza

What Speaks in Darkness by Cosmogirl17481

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