S Meyer owns all the characters in Twilight, lucky thing.

The great reunion, at last! Sit back and enjoy

Chapter 25

BPOV

Life had lost its lustre. Gone was my carefree existence. Since the debacle at Mexico City Airport I'd had trouble sleeping and my appetite had become almost non-existent. The first week or so after Edward's arrest had gone by in a misty blur. Reality had all but disappeared and I was nearly swallowed by the black dog of depression. Luckily my best friend Alice proved just what a best friend she was by taking time off work and staying with me and Charlie. She was at once supportive and a source of common sense and my main contact with reality. She helped me see that to allow myself just to give in and rot away was not an option. She made me see grasp the fact that I had to fight my way back.

I managed to get back mentally to a place where I could pretend that it didn't matter anymore. It didn't matter that I'd lost the love of my life, Edward. It was my own fault anyway. I should have listened to my heart and not my head. But too late now! Edward would never want anything to do with me again. Hell, I wasn't sure if I wanted much to do with me either!

I went back to school where everyone was very supportive. Amazingly even my principal, Mr Spooner couldn't have been kinder. Everybody in Forks went out of their way to make me feel welcome and relaxed. Nobody mentioned the Edward Cullen fiasco, as I'd started thinking of it, and it was like been cocooned in a huge cotton wool ball. The townsfolk were so sweet and compassionate. On the edge of my consciousness I was aware that this was unusual and I could imagine what was being said about me outside Forks, but I preferred not to think about it so I stayed with my head buried in the sand.

It was Alice that made all the difference. Night after night we would sit on the big sofa and talk and talk. Some nights Charlie would join us and we would spend hours putting the world to rights. Alice always had such a great sense of humour that it was impossible to not join in with her hilarity. She could really lift the mood and she didn't let me dwell, thank goodness.

Things got even better when Jasper came to stay. Suddenly I realised that sitting indoors night after night was not the way to launch myself back into the world. Without any thought or effort we started going out at night and Jacob Black somehow got himself invited. I didn't mind too much as he had a really good sense of humour and I discovered he could make me laugh, which considering my state of mind was amazing. I loved his stories about the FBI and I found I could forgive him for his part in the Edward saga. He'd just been doing his job. Besides it turned out that we made a mean pool team usually beating the pants off Alice and Jasper, much to their disgruntlement.

In fact I had started to find that I could get through parts of the day without thinking about Edward at all. The stabbing pain turned slowly into a dull ache. We had fun when we all went out and even Charlie and Sue joined us on occasion.

At school, things went rapidly back to normal. My kids were great and it turned out more than a few of them were very aware that something had happened to me and that it related to Edward Cullen, the famous movie actor. Unlike the adults in Forks they had no compunction in grilling me about it. Strangely I didn't mind when they asked questions about what happened. They were completely non-judgemental and were only concerned about the fact that Edward Cullen had somehow upset their teacher and they were on my side. They thought that he should pay for hurting me. They really were sweet.

I was doing fine until the night the TV was left on in the cafe and news came up about Edward having a huge party at his enormous Beverley Hills mansion. I was determined to show everybody how unaffected I was by the news report. I insisted they keep the it on and I had to sit there listening to the reporter fawn all over him and see him standing there looking gorgeous and handsome. When he put his arm round some gorgeous bimbo I think I truly hated him at that moment. How dare he look so relaxed and happy when I was still in hell? A hell he had caused in the first place. He had ruined my life by taking me to the house in the mountains.

I was trying hard to show how indifferent I was to everybody in the cafe, but I could feel eyes watching me and waiting for my reaction. Nobody was rude enough to say anything, but I felt extremely exposed and very uncomfortable.

()

The town celebrated founder's day every year and as part of the celebrations a pageant took place and it had been, for the last few years, my job to organise a play to celebrate the founding of Forks. Just about everyone in the town was involved in organising and putting on the play and most of the work was done in the school hall. Part of the drama involved singing and we had gathered in the school hall for the community to practise the big finale to the show. The hall was packed and I'd called for the children to be up on the stage to rehearse their song first.

It took a little while to get the children arranged in their places and then it was time for them to sing. I managed to get the adults in the room to stop talking and concentrate on the performance the children were giving. Their singing was divine, except for one little boy, Jordan Murdoch, from my class in school who had a voice like a constipated frog. It was a real pity because he was so enthusiastic and sang louder than any of the other children. I was in the usual quandary. How to get him to quieten down without upsetting him? The whole hall was waiting to see, I'm sure, how I would handle it. They were all facing forward watching me and the children and you could have heard a pin drop.

Suddenly the doors at the back of the hall creaked open. It sounded very loud in the silent hall. I could hear footsteps approaching. I noticed gasps and whispers begin to circulate and then suddenly Jordan moved forward on stage and pointed a finger at someone behind me looking angry. "You hurt Miss Swan," he rasped out.

What? I was totally bewildered until that rich, deep baritone voice I'd heard a hundred times in my dreams replied," She hurt me too."

"But you made her cry!" Jordan insisted.

"She made me cry too," he said. A gasp went round the hall. Here he was, a famous, macho superstar admitting that he'd cried!

I turned slowly around and there was Edward in the flesh, looking more delectable than ever.

"Grown up men don't cry," stated Jordan, with certainty.

"They do if they're hurt enough," replied Edward. " But I've come to say sorry to Miss Swan and ask her if we can start again," he said gazing into my eyes.

Tears had started falling down my cheeks and Jordan was very indignant. "You've made her cry again!"

"Ah, but if you notice she's actually smiling at the same time." Edward bent down and gave me a chaste kiss on the lips. It was no more than a peck but it felt like coming home. His arms enveloped me and we just stood in front of everybody hugging. A great cheer went around the room. It was like something straight out of one of Edward's movies.

Suddenly the lights went out and we were plunged into darkness. I felt a hand on my elbow. "Come on you two; let's get you out of here." Alice helped us both slip silently from the hall and out into the moonlight.

"Have you got a car Edward?" Alice asked.

"I've got a hire car parked out the front."

"Nice to meet you by the way, "said Alice smiling broadly at Edward.

"You must be Alice," guessed Edward correctly. "It's definitely nice to meet you. You did a great job with the lights in there."

"That was Jasper's idea," said Alice. "He's just a great big romantic hunk when it comes down to it. He decided that if you were to get any time on your own at all, you weren't going to get it in the hall. There'll be sightseers round your house now Bella, so the only place we could think of was the motel."

Edward groaned. "I've heard all about that motel from Emmett and Rosalie! I thought I'd just whisk her back to Beverley Hills. We don't need to stay in Forks."

"I'm afraid we do," I interjected. "My dad would never forgive us if we just took off. We'll have to stay here for now."

I hoped he'd understand just how upset Charlie had been with my kidnapping. Edward didn't realise it yet, but Charlie would give him a real grilling about exactly what happened. Edward wouldn't know what had hit him. I, at that moment didn't really care where we ended up, as long as we were together.

"Well," said Edward, "I don't want to get in any more trouble with your father, so the motel it is."

After saying goodbye to Alice, we jumped into the hire car and I directed Edward to the small, rundown motel right on the edge of town.

As we entered the lobby the man behind the counter did a double take. We went up to him and Edward asked for a room. The guy's eyebrows went up so far they disappeared under his greasy fringe. He silently pushed the registration card towards Edward, who signed it. Picking up the card the guy looked at it and then looked back at us.

"I thought I was seeing things, "he said. "You're that movie actor guy. Can I keep that card, it's got your autograph on it?"

"Do what you like with it," replied Edward, "As long as you give us your best room."

The guy swallowed. "The best room here?" He turned and looked at the row of keys. "You'd better go in the honeymoon suite." He passed us a key on a battered looking key ring. "Number seven. It's just down there on the left."

I could hardly hold my laughter in. The thought of the great Edward Cullen in a dive like this and in the honeymoon suite was nearly my undoing. Edward could see my amusement and just asked "What?"

"You'll see," I said.

When he opened room seven, the look on his face sent me over the edge. I couldn't stop laughing. Bent over double, tears running down my face I was helpless with laughter. The room was absolutely awful. There was a huge bed with bright red satin covers on it. Littered throughout the room were piles of scarlet heart shaped cushions. The bed looked like it had seen better days. The sag in the middle of it looked as big as the Grand Canyon. There was a subtle smell of damp and musk. Edward looked at me, and if it was at all possible, I laughed even harder.

Suddenly Edward joined in. We ended up leaning up against each other laughing uproariously. My sides ached and I had to sit down on the wretched bed.

"I can't stay here," said Edward. "Aren't there any proper hotels in Forks?"

"Afraid not," I replied. "Don't you like this then?" We burst out laughing again.

"What am I going to do?" asked Edward. "Where can I stay?"

"There's only one place – dad's house!"

"No way, we'll have to organise something. Perhaps there's a house I could rent or a guest house?"

"We'll sort that out tomorrow," I said taking hold of his hand.

The laughter had felt good. The whole situation was so ludicrous it dispelled any awkwardness Edward or I might have felt getting back together again. Yes, we had both been hurt but thank god, we wanted to be together. As I took hold of his hand, Edward turned to me with such a look of love on his face that I felt as if my insides were melting. He gathered me in his arms and our lips met. The kiss was even better than any kiss we'd previously shared. It was a kiss,of longing and promises. I immediately felt fire light in my belly and Edward groaned as out tongues met. He pulled his lips away from mine.

"I've got to say it. I love you Bella." There it was. Thank goodness he said it first because there was no way I was going to utter those words before he did, not after last time. I had to hear it first.

"I love you too Edward."

We started kissing again, the passion beginning to build. His hands gripped my hair as his mouth slanted over mine. My arms snaked round his broad shoulders. This definitely felt like coming home. This is where I belonged – in Edward's arms.

The telephone suddenly rang, a piercing, shrill sound. I pulled back from Edward.

"Leave it," he commanded. So I left it. The ringing stopped. We started to kiss again, this time his hands roamed across my body, caressed my breasts and stroked my stomach, each time his hand dipped lower and lower. I shuddered with delight, my nerve endings calling out for more.

The phone rang again. This time Edward, looking annoyed stared at it. "Fuck!" he exclaimed. "Why won't they leave us alone?" I shrugged equally as frustrated. All I wanted to do was rip his clothes off. The phone fell silent once more.

It rang once more.

"Okay, I give up," Edward stating across to the offending article.

"Wait Edward, I'll answer it. It's more likely to be for me." I leapt off the bed and picked up the receiver. I could hear the angry voice of my dad.

"Why isn't she picking up the phone?"

I spoke loudly down the phone. "Dad! Dad it's me!"

"Bella! Bella!" he shouted.

"It's okay dad, I can hear you."

"What the hell are you doing at that motel? No, don't answer that. I want you home now. I don't want you to be the talk of Forks creeping off to that tatty motel. If you and Edward Cullen are together I want you here and I want you now. You come straight back here. I've got a word or two to have with that young man and I think there's been enough talk about you two without adding to it all. You come home right now Bella, d'you hear?"

I heard. I looked at Edward and shrugged. He raised an eyebrow. I shrugged again.

"Okay dad, we're coming."

I put down the phone.

"Come on Edward, let's go and meet Charlie. He sounds a little upset and would like to talk to us straight away."

"For fuck's sake, how old are we? Aren't we allowed out on our own? Are we children or grown ups?"

"Calm down Edward," I said. "It was always going to happen. Once dad has had his say he'll be okay, but until then we'd better do as he asks. I suppose in a way, he's right- we don't want any more scandal. We need to do this properly. The people of Forks have been so supportive of me and dad through all this, I understand how he wants to keep on their good side. If they heard we'd stopped in the honeymoon suite at this motel they would be is small town Forks after all. They do things the old fashioned way here."

"Does this mean we don't get to have make-up sex?" asked Edward.

"Not right now," I replied.

"But I want make-up sex," whined Edward.

"So do I, but we can't at the moment. Besides this room really is horrible and the bed stinks."

"True," said Edward. "But love would conquer all"

"And we'd end up with bad backs."

"Come on then," said Edward, giving in and pulling me up by my hand.

The creepy guy behind the counter raised his eyebrows as we signed out of the motel. "That was quick!" he exclaimed.

"Sorry, but we can't stay here," said Edward. "We've got to go."

We headed back to the car and we were soon parked up in front of my house. "You do realise Edward that he is going want to have a chat with you don't you? He's going to want to know the ins and outs of everything that's happened."

Edward swallowed and nodded. "Before we go in Bella, I want to ask you something. Why did you ever go to visit my family in Phoenix? I've been wondering why on earth you took it upon yourself to try and sort them out."

"Edward, I think I made a big mistake ever going there, but you mentioned in your letter that if I was pregnant that if I couldn't raise the baby on my own then they would help. I took that to mean that you trusted them and I had this superstitious feeling that if I didn't make peace with them on your behalf then our lives together would have been cursed."

"I bet they told you that I killed my brother Nathan," he flatly stated.

"Yes, yes they did. They also said that there was a signed confession locked away in a box."

"I'll tell you what really happened now. Nathan was always my great little brother. As they probably told you I was adopted by them when I was a baby and then they had their own child Nathan. We always got on and looked after each other. Nathan was a couple of years younger than me and he used to follow me round like a little puppy. We loved each other and were very close.

When Nathan was sixteen he told me that he'd discovered that he was gay and that he was worried about how mum and dad would take it. I tried to reassure him that they would be fine with it, that they loved him enough for it not to make a difference, even though I knew it would devastate them. Dad in particular was outspoken in his hatred of all things homosexual. Nathan tried over time to broach the subject, but each time he realised that if he came out then he would be rejected by both mum and dad. He became very depressed.

It all came to a head the night of the prom. He'd invited a girl to the prom – a very attractive girl called Penny Tyler, but he was still in his room way past the time he should have left to pick her up for the prom. I was worried about him because he had been getting more and more depressed. I went into his room to find him sitting on the bed with a gun in his hand. He told me he couldn't carry on and was going to end it all. I tried to reason with him but he just raised the gun to his head. I was becoming desperate and I think our voices were becoming louder for just as Nathan pulled the trigger, our butler, Taylor, burst into the bedroom.

He saw what happened and we quickly came up with the story that I'd threatened Nathan with the gun and it had accidentally gone off. Taylor helped me set it up to look that way. We'd decided that mum and dad simply wouldn't be able to handle the fact that Nathan was gay and certainly not that he would kill himself because of it. They'd been so good to me, their adopted son, that I couldn't bear the thought of their pain.

They insisted that I signed a confession and I honestly at the time didn't think they would reject me the way they did. They were so cold towards me that I couldn't bear being around them anymore. I think they started to hate me and I couldn't stand it. I let us drift apart. I did think, however, that if it came to it they would come through if you couldn't bring our baby up on your own. You remember that baby of ours you were having?"

I had the grace to blush."You wouldn't have invited me to join you if I hadn't pretended to be pregnant. Admit it. You only wanted me for the baby!" I said teasing him. He leaned forward and gave me a quick kiss.

"We can't stay out here all night," said Edward. "Time to face the music."

We each climbed out of the car and walked towards the front door. I honestly didn't think Edward had a clue just how awkward my dad could make it for us. This was a conversation I wasn't looking forward to – and it wasn't even me going to have it! We held each other's hand tightly as we headed for the front door.

True love conquers all. Well, somtimes.

Thanks for reviewing and putting my little ole story on alert.