Almost there.

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, sadly.


Our perfect getaway only lasted the one day. I guess we could have stayed longer if we truly wanted to, but I knew my time was up. I needed to return to London and sort myself and my family out while Edward tried to fix his tarnished home in Forks. It was inevitable now that I thoroughly thought about it. I needed the time to clear my head and know where I truly wanted to go from there with Edward. Would my parents be angry with me? They'd definitely send me back to school once they knew I'd returned home. They had a similar experience with love themselves so I knew they wouldn't be angry with me for long. It would just be the shock I'd be waiting for to wear off on them.

After Edward and my thorough love making, I showered and thought real hard on what I wanted to do. So when we met up with Alice in the breakfast hall of the hotel, I sat them down and told them my plans to return to London today.

"But you can't leave!" Alice cried. "You just here! This was our getaway?"

"I understand that Ali but…" I licked my lips and tried to find the right words to say. Absentmindedly my hand went under the table to seek out Edward's and I held it over his thigh, giving it a tight squeeze every so often. "I need for you to be strong with you father and that won't happen if I'm constantly in the way. I want you to maintain a relationship with your mother- if you want to- and I also want us to stay friends, or whatever you'd like. There is nothing worse than a broken home and I know you both know about that all too well, much like myself. So I think it's vital I fix myself while you keep your relationships intact. Please, Alice, we all need to do this. We could do with the time apart, I think."

The last part was a lie. I couldn't bear to be two inches apart from Edward, let alone an ocean apart.

I ducked my head and nibbled on some toast, knowing that with Alice's shocking silence, I had won the argument. So after breakfast, Edward booked me a ticket home at the reception desk and we were on our way to Sea-Tac in Seattle. In the car, I sat upfront like before and silently cried as I kissed my paradise goodbye in the beautiful hotel with the man I loved beside me. Alice was talking quietly to Jasper on the phone in the backseat and I knew she was telling him about her day in the hotel with us. I could tell Jasper missed her because the smile on her face wouldn't die down and I really hoped he was the one for her.

I realised I left a few of my clothes back at the house but didn't voice this thought because I knew Edward would turn back around to Forks just to gain more time with me. His hand never lessoned in mine on the dash and I wondered idly if he was worried he would lose his job at the school for missing a school day. I shook my head deciding I was just distracting myself from the fact that I was leaving.

Edward pulled up outside the airport, parking in the drive by area and it reminded me that he would not be coming with me inside. I sniffled and wiped away the tears I had fought hard to hide and jumped out of the car, pulling my hand away from his. Alice was next to hop out and dive into my arms and it took all the strength I had not to turn into a puddle of my own tears. I had to keep strong or else I would never leave. Edward walked around is quickly to grab my bag from the boot of the car and when Alice released me, I gave him a quick thank you before taking the bag from him.

Alice ducked her head, letting her tears drop away from her clear face and I placed both my hands on each cheek, forcing her to look at me. "You'll see before you know it, Ali," I promised with a small smile. My throat was constricting around the words but I held strong, not letting any water leave my eyes. "I'm going to miss you so much."

She pulled me in for another hug and although he was taller than me, I kissed her spiky hair and gave her a tight squeeze before pulling away for the last time. She kissed my cheek and giggled lightly through her tears.

"Thanks for being hot enough to ruin my parents' marriage and save us," Alice grinned and if I didn't know she was just joking with me, I would have blanched and flinched at her words. I laughed and pushed her away from me, ruffling her hair and making her whine in response. "I'll be in the car, dad," Alice then said quietly, leaving me with her father outside the entrance to Sea-Tac.

I swallowed back my fears and turned to face Edward, who was leaning against the boot of the car and met his sad eyes. My body yearned for him and of its own volition, walked me to his side so I could wrap myself up in his protective, loving embrace. I breathed in the scent of him so I had something to remember him by on the plane and let myself break down in his arms, the tears falling endlessly down my cheeks. I couldn't help it. Seeing his face and the pain in his eyes broke me and this was suddenly the hardest thing I've ever had to do since the death of my brother.

"Hush, baby, you'll be okay," Edward said but his voice contradicted his words. "I love you, Bella," his voice broke on my name and I crumbled once again, tightening my grip around him and Edward picked me up off the ground, wrapping my legs and arms around him like a vice and I never wanted to let go.

"I love you so much, Edward," I sobbed back, ducking my head into the crook of his neck, soaking him with my tears. I felt a few tears drop into my hair and the shock of Edward's cries forced me to look up at his face, needing to make sure. Sure enough, Edward was spilling tears from his beautiful eyes just like I was and with that, my bottom lip quivered, which Edward caught between his own lips. I put everything I had into the kiss, sucking his top lip into my mouth, tasting the salt in his tears that manage to spill down his face.

My tongue darted out to taste more of him and it met in the middle, fighting for dominance with Edward's tongue and the kiss may have been too passionate for our surroundings, but I didn't care. I was wrapped up in Edward and the kiss and the moment. I never wanted to leave! My flight wasn't until three but I had an hour to go through security and customs. I needed to go soon if I wanted to make it in time for all of that. I also needed time to recuperate and calm down.

I broke away from Edward's kiss, panting and dropped my forehead to his, letting our breaths rush the distance between us. "I have to go," I said reluctantly. My legs wrapped around his waist dropped back to the ground and Edward's hands slid around my waist and up to my face, resting them on each of my cheeks. The look in his eyes was full of longing and despair but Edward knew he had to let me go this time.

"When will I see you again?" He asked brokenly.

I shook my head and kissed his lips chastely. "You have my number, Edward. You can call every night if you want and once Alice gets back to school and I sort out what I want to do regards to my own education, we can figure something out. I trust you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. But we have priorities and we need to tend to them first before we can focus on being together."

"But how long?" Edward pleaded, gripping my face in his hands and kissing me once more.

"A couple of month's maybe?" I guessed and quickly amended my answer when I saw his face crumble. "I don't want Alice to miss out on anything, Edward. I want you to figure out what job you want to take once we're together again and I need some qualifications if I want to get a Visa to stay with you. If you want to come to London and stay with me there, you can. If you want to be apart for the remainder of the school year so Alice can get settled into college, then that's fine with me too. I still have school to worry about- and my parents- it will all work out, Edward. I'm not going to go anywhere emotionally."

"I'm going to miss you too much," Edward sighed, kissing my forehead and resting his lips there. Breathe, Bella, breathe.

"Me too," I whispered. "I love you. I'll try call you when I land."

"Please do," Edward finally released me with one last forehead kiss. "This time difference is going to kill me."

I laughed at that and picked up my bag. I tapped on the back seat window and waved one last time at Alice, who was still crying with her phone held against her ear. Jasper again, I assumed. I needed one last hug from Edward before I finally got up to move towards the entrance.

"Goodbye, Edward," I mumbled.

"I love you," was his response.

With that, I walked through the automatic doors and kept going until I turned a corner where Edward and Alice couldn't be seen anymore. Finding the nearest bathroom, I locked myself in one of the stalls and let myself break down again, losing the remainder of the tears I fought back on outside with the love of my life.

I really didn't want to face security and everything else that went with airports but it was inevitable. The sooner I got through it, the quicker I'd get to the plane and to London where I could call Edward again. With that determination, I exited the toilet and made it through customs, boarding the plane in piece where I sat alone, free to cry as much as I pleased until I landed again.

~dt~


The taxi to my home in London was a quiet one when the driver realised I wasn't a tourists and had lived here all my life. When he asked where I had travelled to and I got all choked up, he left it and accepted my high pitched apology without another word. I was exhausted and jet lagged and in need of a good cuddle, but that couldn't be offered here back in shitty London so that brought on another rush of tears. He drove onto my street and refused my tip, understanding the state I was in. I gave him a sad smile and got out of the taxi, taking in the sight of my home that I hadn't seen in so long. With a new longing to hug my parents, I ran to the front door and starting knocking furiously.

"Who on earth?" I heard my mother shout through the door and the smile I wore broke my face when she finally opened the door and took a shocked step back, taking in the sight of her daughter.

"Bella?" She asked, as if she didn't recognise me.

"Mum, it's me," I smiled broadly, tears flowing endlessly down my face. "I'm home."

"Oh, darling!" She squealed and pulled me in for a hug. I laughed against her shoulder through my tears and gripped onto her tightly, breathing in my mother's beautiful scent.

"I missed you so much, Bella!" She yelled, slamming the door behind me with her foot. "But what are you doing here? Why are you back so soon?"

"Mum, it's such a long story," I sighed, letting her wipe the tears away on my cheeks when I broke away from her embrace.

"Well, your father isn't home yet so we have some time to be girls before he's back. Come into the kitchen, love, I'll make some tea."

I really loved my mum.

For two hours we sat at the kitchen table and I sobbed my story of living in Forks, attending school with the horrible bitch Lauren and my affair with Edward. I told mum about Rosalie and her lies and cheating methods, locking Edward down and hurting Alice so much that she wanted to come to London with me. I admitted loving Edward irrevocably and how hard it was to leave him. I told mum everything and she took in every word, not giving off the impression that she was angry or upset with my choices. She only hugged me closer to her whenever I got too choked up and stroked my hair whenever I was finally done crying.

After I finished telling her of my arrival home, mum blew out a big gust of air and finally spoke.

"Well, it's a lot of information, Bells," she sighed. "But you did the right thing by coming home."

"Really?" I choked. "I feel like this will only hurt us now that I really think of it."

"No darling, you're doing the opposite. Your relationship with Edward will be a lot stronger now that you know how to be apart. Trust me on that. When my parents disapproved of me dating your father, we had to spend a lot of time away from each other to convince my parents that I wasn't seeing him anymore. It's the hardest thing I've ever had to do, but it was so worth it in the end because it proved how much we wanted to be together. I can sympathise with your relationship because I've been there, but others will disapprove of your decision to be together, Bella, I hope you know that."

"I do," I nodded. "We've already had a few opinions thrown at us. But I'm not a child, I know what I want and it's him, mum. You should see how he looks at me; I know he feels the same."

Mum smiled lovingly at me. "I can't wait to meet him, dear. But what's your plan because I'm still your mother and I don't want you dropping everything for a man, regardless of my happiness for you."

"I want to stay in school obviously," I explained. "I want to keep writing and performing my music and with Edward's skills in that, I know we will be secured with a job, wherever we settle down. I already told Edward to wait to see me until Alice had started university in whatever state she chooses. I had hoped she wanted to come with her father and me, but she's set on college, which is wise of her. I just still feel so guilty for ruining her family."

"From this Rosalie, I can tell you were not the reason her family was broken," mum glared, sticking on another pot of tea. "Your father will be home in ten minutes so I suggest you unpack and come down for some dinner and give him a heart attack."

I laughed and kissed her on the cheek before doing as she said. I loved my mum so much. She was so understanding but could be a real mother when needed be. She was my mum and best friend all in one. I couldn't wait for Edward to meet her. Whilst I unpacked, I tried to call Edward but the line was busy, or maybe it just wouldn't connect through my iPhone, so I decided I'd call off the house phone once dinner was done. I heard the front door slam downstairs and smiled at the thought of seeing my father. My mum knew I couldn't go through telling my story again so she was probably filling him in as I unpacked.

The reunion with him at dinner was simple but filled with love and I even cried a little more because I missed him that much. He didn't ask about what mum told him: he'd leave that until tomorrow when I was fresh and alert. I helped clean the dishes and basically ran to the sitting room to grab the house phone, dialling Edward's number quickly and plopping down onto the chair.

The phone rang for a moment before the reception clicked and Edward's silky voice came through the line.

"Hello, beautiful."


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Meg.