Thanks to shoefreak37 for holding my hand and making me write, even when I couldn't seem to get more than two sentences out without banging my head against the desk, to famouslyso for prereading, and to lislar for being awesome, even though I never get chapters finished in time for her to beta.


Chapter 28: Time (Keeps Flowing Like a River)

Bella kicked off her shoes and dropped her backpack down by the door, the exhaustion of the day finally settling in. Her shoulders were slumped as she moved into the kitchen and grabbed an apple from the table; it was nearly ten at night and all she'd had time to eat was a bag of chips she'd gotten from a vending machine on campus and a grilled cheese sandwich she'd hastily crammed down at the diner.

She assumed that the house would be silent, with everyone already asleep, but she was shocked to find Sue sitting in the living room. The television was on, with a rerun of Everybody Loves Raymond playing softly in the background. Bella slumped down on the couch beside Sue, continuing to munch on her apple.

"There are some leftovers from dinner that I can heat up for you, if you want," Sue said.

Bella shook her head as she continued to chew. Though she was definitely hungry, she knew better than to eat a big meal before going to bed. Her day had been long and exhausting, with classes in the morning and work in the afternoon. All she really wanted to do was collapse into her bed.

Returning to Forks after her time away with Edward, things began to change for Bella. A new year brought forth new responsibilities, making her life more hectic than ever. In addition to working at the diner and caring for Ben, classes had begun at Peninsula College in Port Angeles. She'd enrolled in an Associate degree program, a track that would help her to fulfill general degree requirements and move on to a Bachelor's degree program in the future, if she chose do to so.

The program was offered online, but Bella really wanted to experience what college life was like. She didn't have the opportunity to live in the dorms on campus, but she still wanted to be able to sit in a classroom with other students, to listen to lectures, and grab lunches in the dining hall. Even though she yearned for those experiences, Bella also didn't want to spend too much time away from Ben—and Edward. In the end, she decided to only take a few classes on campus, cramming those hours into two days a week. The rest would be online, which also allowed her to keep her job.

"Are you okay?" Sue asked, noticing the way Bella's shoulders sagged, the dark circles beneath her eyes.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just tired. I had a long day. Did Edward stop by?"

Sue nodded her head. "He came by after dinner and stayed for about an hour. Ben was happy to see him."

"I'd be happy to see him, too," Bella said, annoyance clear in her voice.

"I thought he'd stop by the diner."

"He did," Bella continued, "but we were so busy and I barely even got to speak to him. We haven't seen each other for more than few minutes in almost a week. It's just frustrating."

"You could have gone over there after work tonight. Ben would have been fine here."

"I know. I just hate leaving him overnight."

After leaving Ben with Charlie and Sue for those two nights away, Bella had decided she didn't want to ever be away from him overnight, if possible, even if she was just across town. She knew she was probably being overprotective, but she preferred to be with Ben, especially with the threat of Renee still looming.

The lawyer Charlie has spoken to assured them that even though Renee could technically file for visitation rights, the odds of her being granted those visits would be slim. She had sent Bella away when she became pregnant and made no attempts at contact until almost six months after Ben was born. It was obvious her motivation came from a place besides missing her only grandchild. Aside from that, her petition would have to be filed in Washington, where Bella and Ben resided. Bella couldn't imagine Renee traveling cross country just for that. Though this was good news, Bella still found herself worrying, wondering what Renee would come up with next.

Bella had also been relieved by the news that James and his family had no rights to Ben, despite Renee's claims to the contrary. When James signed the paperwork to terminate his rights, he'd also terminated the rights of his family. Essentially, Ben had no father. There were laws in place about presumed fatherhood, in which someone acting as a father figure could be legally recognized. Edward immediately sprang to her mind when this was mentioned, but she didn't want to force him into that role.

"Is Charlie in bed?"

"Yes, he worked a long shift today and he has to go back in early tomorrow. You could have stayed with Edward and escaped his wrath," Sue said, her smile betraying her words.

Bella simply rolled her eyes and huffed.

Though Charlie hadn't said anything about her nights with Edward since that first awkward conversation between them, he expressed his displeasure in other ways. Bella couldn't escape the gruff looks and loud grumbles that would emanate from him when she would come tumbling in the morning after. More often than not, she found herself lingering around Edward's in the mornings, hanging out at his place long after he'd gone in to work. It was easier to avoid Charlie that way.

Bella chewed on her lip as she considered her words. "Sometimes, I think it would be easier if I didn't live here."

"You want to move out?"

She'd entertained the idea of living on her own, but the notion had been quickly dismissed once Bella had looked at rental prices. Even the tiniest apartment cost as much as or more than she made at the diner in a month. She was sure Rosalie would allow her to pick up a couple of extra shifts, but that would leave her less time with Ben and less time to do homework. There was just no way she could pay for a place to live and still have money left over for things both she and Ben needed.

"I don't know. I just feel sort of stuck here, like I'm in this weird in-between. Charlie knows I'm an adult, but I think it's hard for him to see me that way when I'm still living under his roof, still depending on him for things.

"It doesn't matter anyway, though. There's no way I could afford an apartment."

"How do you feel about La Push?" Bella furrowed her brow and turned to look at Sue. "I kept my house after I moved in with Charlie. Seth lives there, but he's not around most of the time, and there would be plenty of room for you and Ben, if you don't mind a roommate."

"Do you think…I mean, would he mind? I don't think most guys my age would want a woman with a baby crashing their bachelor pad."

"I don't think he would mind at all, but I'll talk to him and let you know. You don't have to make any decisions now. I hope you don't think I'm trying to kick you out!"

"You're just trying to get rid of me before the wedding," Bella said with a giggle. "I'm not sure I want to be around for the honeymoon phase anyway."

~ O ~

Seth quickly and readily agreed for Bella and Ben to move in. The arrangement would be beneficial for both of them, as they were both taking classes in Port Angeles. Bella liked the idea of carpooling, which they began immediately, but she was still hesitant about moving. The idea of a place of her own was enticing—where she could stay out as late as she wanted or not come home at all, where Edward could spend the night, and where she could essentially do whatever she wanted—but she worried that she'd miss the comfort and security of her father's house.

And even though Seth had told her over and over he would be excited to have a roommate, Bella was still hesitant about whether the ideal would live up to the reality. It wasn't that she thought that she and Seth wouldn't get along living together, especially given that he spent many nights at his girlfriend's apartment, but more that she worried about how Seth would adjust to having Ben around.

Ben was quite attached to Seth already, as Seth dropped by most weekends to have dinner at Charlie's and would spend time after dinner playing with the baby. But spending a few hours a week with an infant was much different than living with one. Bella worried that Seth would be annoyed to hear a baby crying in the middle of the night, or wouldn't deal well with the days when Ben was just cranky, fussing and whining for no reason at all.

To alleviate Bella's fears, Seth suggested that she consider spending a few weekends at the house with him, as a sort of trial run. Bella felt a little more comfortable after doing so, but didn't finally decide to make the move until spring break. With a week off from classes, she also decided to take a week off from work as well, giving her plenty of time to adjust and get settled.

~ O ~

Bella wiped the sweat from her forehead as she loaded the last of her boxes into the back of Edward's truck, closing the tailgate with a resounding thud. Her t-shirt was stained with dirt and dust, her hair escaping from her ponytail and sticking to her face. With one last look at the white clapboard house where she'd lived since moving back to Forks, Bella hoisted herself into the driver's seat and headed across town, towards La Push.

Pulling into the gravel driveway of the little red house that belonged to Sue, she was surprised to see her car in the driveway. She'd switched with Edward for the day so that she could move her furniture. He'd taken the morning off of work to help her and Seth move the bigger items, but hadn't been able to help for the entire day. Bella had made the last trip on her own because she only had clothes and lighter items to move. Charlie had helped her load them in the truck.

Ben was sitting in Edward's lap, curled up and napping against his chest as Edward rocked him in one of the old, weather-worn chairs. Bella smiled at the sight of them together. Seth was sprawled out on the porch swing with a beer in his hand, relaxing after all of the hard work they'd put in throughout the day.

Walking up to the porch, Bella sat down on the arm of Edward's chair and wrapped her arm around his shoulder, resting her cheek against the top of his head.

"Tired?" Edward asked.

"Yes. I think that muscles I didn't even know I had are aching. And I'm dirty and stinky."

"Why don't you put Ben in bed and take a shower? Seth and I can finish carrying everything in." Though Bella hated to leave them with the rest of the boxes, knowing they'd moved all the heavy things and then arranged them in her room, the idea sounded perfect. Kissing Edward on the cheek, Bella plucked the still sleeping Ben from his lap and headed into the house.

Sue's house was larger than it appeared, with four bedrooms and a good-sized kitchen that opened into the living space. On one end of the house was the master bedroom, which had its own bathroom, and a small bedroom that was more suited to being an office. Since Seth was already occupying the master, Bella has claimed the two medium-sized bedrooms on the other end of the house for herself and Ben. There was a small bathroom with only a shower in the hall.

When she walked towards those bedrooms, however, Bella was surprised to see that none of her things were in either room; Ben's stuff wasn't there either. Seth's stuff was piled up in one of the bedrooms and Bella quickly became suspicious. Moving to the other end of the house, she found that Ben's nursery had been set up in the smaller room and her boxes were stacked neatly in the master.

After placing Ben in his bed and grabbing the baby monitor, Bella headed back into the living room, where she could hear Seth and Edward laughing loudly.

"Seth, why is my stuff in the master?" Though Bella appreciated the gesture, she felt like he deserved the room. He had already been living in it and the house belonged to his mother. She didn't want it to seem like she was moving in and taking over.

"Because I gave it to you." Before Bella could object, Seth continued, his words spilling quickly from his lips. "Look, you've got Ben and work and school. I thought you'd like the bigger room to relax in. Plus, the master has that huge fucking bathtub that I never use. Hell, I'm hardly even here. You know I stay at Kim's most of the time. Just say thank you and take the room."

"Are you sure? I just—"

"Bella!" Seth whined, drawing out her name.

"Thank you, Seth," she finally said, stepping forward to give him a hug.

~ O ~

Since Seth had mentioned the oversized bathtub, Bella decided to take advantage of it. She couldn't find any bubble bath in her things, so she squirted some of Ben's baby shampoo into the water as the tub filled. She felt her muscles loosen almost immediately as she slid down into the steamy water. Closing her eyes, Bella allowed herself to relax for the first time in days.

Bella wasn't sure how much time had passed before she heard a soft rapping against the bathroom door. Startled, she was unable to respond before she saw Edward slowly peeking his head inside. He smiled at her before easing into the room, closing the door behind him. Though the mixture of water and bubbles kept her body covered, Bella could still feel the heat from Edward's gaze.

"What are you doing?" she asked in alarm as Edward removed his socks and began to unbutton his shirt.

"Well, I thought I'd join you in the tub, but if you don't want me to…"

"No, I mean, it's not—I—Seth is still here!" Bella felt her cheeks heat in embarrassment as she considered that Seth would know exactly what they were doing in the bathroom, or even worse, that he might hear them.

"Seth went to pick up Kim and grab some pizza for dinner. He'll be gone for at least an hour."

Bella averted her eyes as Edward continued to undress. Though she'd seen him naked numerous times, it felt odd to just sit there and watch him take his clothes off. That didn't stop her, however, from sneaking a few brief glances out of the corner of her eye. She slid forward as she felt Edward's hand on her shoulder, urging her to allow him to slide in behind her.

As Edward sank into the water, he moved her hair away from her shoulder and kissed her neck. Bella relaxed, allowing herself to lean back into his chest. His hands moved to her shoulders, gently kneading the tense muscles. Bella closed her eyes and moaned, enjoying feeling his warm hands on her wet skin. She felt Edward's hands move down her spine, and then slide around her waist. When his thumbs brushed the underside of her breasts, she turned her head to kiss him, feeling want and need churning deep within her stomach.

~ O ~

Time began to pass more quickly as spring started to give way to summer. Bella and Edward developed an easy routine, allowing them to spend more time with one another. More often than not they spent their nights together, either in La Push or at Edward's house.

On Sundays they had a brunch with the Cullens. Though Alice wasn't always there, Bella was happy that she accompanied Jasper some days. The strain in their relationship was still evident, but Bella could also see that they were working hard to try and mend the rift between them.

Sunday nights were spent having dinner with Charlie and Sue. Bella still saw them most days because Sue continued to babysit Ben, but things were often so hectic that she was merely running in and out their door to drop him off. It was nice to have some time to discuss her week with them, to help Sue plan the upcoming wedding, and to let Charlie see that he had nothing to worry about with her no longer living in his home.

Charlie had been less than enthusiastic when Bella moved out, even if he agreed that she needed her own space, a place were she could feel more independent. He felt like she had just moved in with him and now she was leaving again, even if it was only to move a few minutes away. Bella was almost certain Sue had talked him down, something she was very skilled at when he was in one of his moods.

Bella's relationship with Edward continued to grow stronger. Though they had their fair share of disagreements and miscommunications that all couples went through, they were able to overcome them and become closer.

~ O ~

In May, a month before Ben's first birthday, which Bella was extremely excited about, a knock on the door interrupted Bella and Edward's evening. Edward's birthday was also just around the corner, though he was less enthusiastic about turning thirty. It was not uncommon for one of Seth's friends to show up unannounced, even though Seth spent most of his time at his girlfriend's house.

Edward was sitting on the floor with Ben, trying to coax him to say his first word, repeating "ma ma" over and over. Ben had yet to speak any real words, content to convey his messages through a series of grunts, groans, and babbles. Bella was laughing at Ben as she rose from the floor and stumbled to the door.

Bella was still looking back towards her son when she swung the door open. When she finally turned, she gasped, meeting a familiar pair of eyes. Standing on the other side was the one person Bella never thought she'd see again.


A/N: So sorry for the delay with the chapter update and teasers. Hopefully I've kicked my writer's block. Also, sorry that review replies were so generic this time. I usually try to reply to each person and answer questions, but that just wasn't in the cards for this week.

Shoefreak37 and I have started a fic rec blog and we'd love for you to check us out. Recs are posted throughout the week, plus lots of silliness, usually involving Mike Newton and hot dogs. newtonsoutficcers(dot)com.

And a couple of recs:

Shoefreak37 has started posting a beautiful new AU Carlisle/Edward story, Aberration, which is too good to be missed. It's only 3 chapters in and I'm already addicted.

Also, I found a Charlie piece that was short and absolutely lovely. And it only had 4 reviews! Check it out and leave a review. Coloring Books and Coffee Beans by Mackenzie L.

Both can be found in my favorites. See you next week!