Coming Home

Chapter 21

EPOV

I quickly gather the kids and their belongs, pack us up into the SUV and drive home. How dare him…brewing about what had just transpired at my parents home. Everyone else was at least, from what I could tell, supportive…although Rose didn't seem as opposed to the trip as to whom I left my kids with. I just can't believe he acted that way. Emmett, of all people.

I try to find place myself in his shoes and see if I can't figure out where he may be coming from. I truly believe that, if it were Alice in Bella's place, I would be extremely supportive and hopeful to Jasper that he would go to the ends of the earth to find her. I just can't get to a place where I can figure out where Emmett is coming from. It's mind boggling.

If you thought you had lost the love of your life, your reason to live, your soul mate and there was the littlest glimmer of hope that you may not have and everything thing in your being told you that they were alive, wouldn't you put everything on the line to find out if they were alive?

We finally make it home. I don't even remember the drive from my parent's home to ours…kind of scary. I unlock the door and turn around to look at the kids.

Camryn is carrying a sleeping Lizzie in her arms. EJ is carrying Lizzie's bag and a book he's been reading for a book report due next week, and Matthew carrying a few of Transformers and his Nintendo DS in his arms.

"Cam, can you go put Lizzie to bed? I want to talk with you, EJ and Matt about something."

She nods her head and I see EJ shrug his shoulders as he looks at Matt.

"Come on guys. Let's go into the living room."

They follow me into the living room and after a minute or two, Camryn sits down and joins us.

I sit and look at the three kids for a moment. I try to gather my thoughts and words in what I want to say. As I am about to speak, Matt asks, "Dad? Is everything okay?"

"Uh, well, Matt….something has come up that I need to talk to guys about. Ummm…wow….ummm…where to start. Okay. Um, I am going to be going on a trip in a few days."

"Where are we going? Are we finally going to Disneyland? I can't wait! I've wanted to go there for so long? When do we leave? What about school? I promise to catch up on all our homework when we get back. Can we go on Space Mountain and the Matterhorn? I you know that I really love roller coasters and…"

"Matt. Matt. I sorry, bud, but we aren't going to Disneyland. Maybe next time. I will be the one going on this trip. You and your brother and sisters are going to be staying here with Leah and Grammy."

"Where are you going, Dad?" EJ asks.

I hesitate and say, "Well, EJ, I am going to…Japan." I say warily. No one says anything for a moment as though they seem to be absorbing my words. As I am about to start my explanation, Matt interrupts.

"Dad. I don't want you go to. You can't go. Mom went and she didn't come back. You can't go. You'll leave us alone. Please don't go. I'll be good. I promise. I'll eat my vegetables and whatever else you want us to do, but please… please don't go. Not like Mom, please." He says as he starts shaking and breaking down. Camryn quickly rushes over to him and puts her arm around him to comfort him.

I move over from the chair that I am sitting in to the couch next sitting on the other side of Matt. After a few moments, he calms down and I pull him into a hug. I hadn't even considered that the thought of me getting on a plane would cause any of the kids any pain. I guess it is only natural for Matt to think I would meet the same fate as his Mom by going to the same place she had. She went and she didn't come back.

I sigh and say, "Oh, buddy. I'm not going to leave you. Nothing is going to happen to me." I look at EJ and Camryn and see confusion on their faces. I go over everything with them…from my feelings of their mother being gone, to the faxed picture of the wolf and the initials on either side wolf, to the supposed picture of a make shift camp with a pair black flats next to the campfire. I also explain why I kept how I felt from them…that I didn't want them to have false hope in case there wasn't a reason to. I couldn't put them through that…that I had only gotten this new information just recently.

"Are anyone searching for them? The government? The Air Force?" Camryn asks.

"No. No one believes there is enough evidence, and that they could have still survived this long…that they probably had injuries from the crash along with no food or water, they probably are gone." I answer. "I truly believe she's still alive. I am going to find her and bring her home to you."

"How are you going to find her? It's been two months. She could be anywhere. "

"Well, I am not going by myself. Gramps and Poppa are going with me. I have a friend who works for the airline Mom was on and waiting for us over in Japan. He's most of the information that I've been given and hopefully he'll have more once we've gotten there. I don't have a complete plan, but we will probably hire a guide on the ground and maybe even hire someone to look by air by helicopter or something. Nothing is out of the question, for me, right now."

"What about us?" ask EJ.

I look at Camryn as I start speaking. "Well, I wanted to talk to you about that. I would like to ask Leah to stay here and take care of you all. Grammy and Uncle Jas and Aunt Alice have offered to help. What do you think? Cam?"

"I'm okay with it, Dad. I understand this is something you have to do. I trust you."

"EJ?"

"Okay, Dad. "

"Matt?"

"I really don't want you go, Dad, but I want Mom back. Do you promise that you will come home?"

"Matt, I promise that I will come home and do everything that I can to bring Mom home."

"Dad, how long will you be gone?"

"I don't really know. I may take some time. We'll have to see what we find once we start looking. I love you all, though. I will try my best to not be away from you longer than I need to be."

Camryn walks over and hugs me. EJ and Matt both get up and it turns into a group hug.

CHOV

Two days later.

I sit on the couch in the living room. I am still in some shock. Could my baby girl be alive? I am going to find out. Between the three of us, hopefully, we'll find her in one piece. Please Lord. Let us find my baby.

I walk over to the mantel over the fireplace and look at the family pictures. I make another important decision. I have to call her. I have to let her know. She would want to know.

I pick up the phone and dial her cell phone.

Of course, her voice mail. Beep.

"Uh…hey it's me. I know I told you that I would give you time and space but something important has happened. There seems to be some evidence that Bella may have survived the crash. Edward, Carlisle and I are leaving in the morning to go to Japan. We are going to go find her. I thought you might want to know. I'm sure you've heard by now from Jas, but just in case you haven't, your going to be a grandma again. Alice is due at the end of May. Um…everyone really misses you. You haven't even seen Ryan and Katie yet….I'm sure, though, Em has sent pictures by email."

"Speaking of Em, I think he really needs you here right now. He's not taking this search for Bella well. I've never seen him like this and with me leaving, I think he could really need you here. We all need you here."

"I can't change things from the past. I can say that I love you…that even though our life didn't go as we had planned, I wouldn't give it up for anything. We are blessed with the life and family that we have had and sometimes things are meant to happen as we planned them."

"I've gotta go and pack. We have an early flight tomorrow. Goodbye. I love you, Renee,"

Click.

CAPOV

Esme and I pull up in front of Edward's home in the early morning. I walk to the front door and knock softly. After a moment, Leah opens the door and we greet each other. I walk in the entry with two suitcases sitting next to the door.

"He's just upstairs saying goodbye to the kids. He should be down in just a minute."

"Okay." I say as I grab the suitcases to put them in the trunk of our car.

A moment later the front door reopens. We both look to find Edward hugging Leah. She says something to him. He nods his head and head to the car. He gets in and we leave. We pick up Charlie and continue the 45 minute drive to the airport. After parking the car, checking in out luggage and getting our boarding passes, we all make our way over to the Security Gate.

We stop and I turn around to see Esme hugging Edward.

"Please be careful." She says.

"I will Mom." He says.

"You bring my daughter home. Do you hear me?" She says as her voice trembles.

"I plan on it Mom."

They pull away from each other and she says, "Don't worry about the kids. Everything will be fine. Just keep in touch."

He nods his head and she goes to hug Charlie.

"Take care now, Charlie. Take care of my boys."

"We'll take care of each other. You do the same."

"We will."

"Oh, Esme. I'll called Re last night. I had to leave her a voice message so if she calls…"

"We'll take care of Renee."

She turns and walks over to me with tears in her eyes and hugs me. "You promise me you'll come home to me safe and sound. Bring back everyone. Understand?"

"I promise. You know you are my world, my heart and soul, right?"

"As you are mine. I love you. Please be careful."

"I love you, too." Our kiss says so much more than words can.

"Dad, we gotta go."

I hug Esme one more time. I turn to look at Charlie and Edward and say, "Let's do this."

They both nod their heads and we walk to the Security Gate. As we are about to go through the gate, I turn to look at Esme, smile and blow her a kiss. She does the same and I enter through the gate to start our journey.

Surprise! I was in the zone so I decided to post another chapter. Thank you for all the review and alerts from the last chapter. I can't tell you what it means to me to hear what you think. Butterflybetty...as always, thank you! Please click that little button everyone and tell me what you think. With what information that Edward has, would you travel to the other side of the world to look for you soul mate?