Getting through the airport terminal seemed to take longer than the flight home. Bella had offered to come get us but I wanted her somewhere I knew she was safe. I looked at Carlisle and handed off my bag to Jasper, "I can't wait I have to go now." Carlisle nodded, he understood. I turned and walked quickly until I knew I was unnoticeable and then I ran. Running for me seemed to be a release of anxiety so this was one time my lack patience would pay off. There was a storm moving in and even though it was not night, the sky was dark enough it could have been. I ran along the edge woods just deep enough to not be seen, not that a human eye would see me. I would be a blur, a second of confusion. I slowed down when I came to intersections and crossed areas in the open.
The wind began to pick up and at the speed I was running, it would have seemed I had been pushing a brick wall. The rain started, I was soaked and the water felt warm against my skin. I was getting closer to home. My anxiety was starting to diminish. I jumped the fence of the house on the corner. I cut through the yard and finally slowed down when I reached the front yard. I stopped on the edge of the driveway and saw our home, safe and warm looking. The rain was starting to come down, Alice must have seen I was near; Bella pulled back the curtain on the window and was standing there with Nessie. Nessie smiled and waved from the window. Bella turned and came out the door running. I met her in the middle of the yard, she was so beautiful. She wrapped her arms around my neck and I picked her up. I held her as tight as I could.
"I don't ever want to be apart from you again." And I kissed her like it was the first time. The rain soaked her as well. Her hair was stuck closely to her head and the water ran down her porcelain skin like little streams. She wrapped her legs around my waist and I carried her into the house, not wanting to let go, ever. As we came through the door I heard Emmett grumble under his breath, "Get a hotel room, sheesh there's a kid present for god's sake."
"Emmett, don't be rude! Welcome home dear." Esme was standing by Nessie. I knew she was happy that we all made it back. I saw the beam from Carlisle's headlights flood the wall across from the window.
I glanced back at Nessie, still not letting go of Bella, "Renesmee Cullen, did you grow another foot while I was gone?" I was pretty sure she was a few inches taller, she had thinned out some more and is starting to lose some of her baby features.
"Daddy, you're silly. I didn't grow a foot, I only have two." She smiled as she said it, trying to be funny. She has been around Emmett and Jacob too long. She ran over and hugged my leg. As Carlisle walked through the door she abandoned me and went straight to him, "Papa! Uncle Jasper! You're home!!" Carlisle melted every time she was around. As everyone crowded around Carlisle and Jasper to get details of what happened, Bella and I made our way to our room; we were in dire need of dry clothes. I set her down and she went to get towels from the closet.
"I am so glad you are home, what happened? Do you really think he is after me?" she handed me a towel and as I dried off I explained what happened and what I found. I tried not to go into great detail because I was afraid I would upset her more. I pulled on a dry t-shirt.
"Do you think he is really after me or is a coincidence? I mean, why would he come after me?" her voice was shaky, I knew she was upset.
"Bella, I don't necessarily know he is coming for you, you maybe right it may have been a coincidence. He may have mistaken you for her when we ran into him. I am sure Alice would see if anything were going to happen." I tried to sound reassuring so she would calm down but I wasn't very successful.
"Do you think he may have followed you home?"
"No I think we are safe. I would have been hard to follow us unless he was on our flight and I am sure he wasn't. I would have seen him." I hugged her tight, I couldn't wait until everyone was gone and Nessie was asleep. I wanted my wife like never before.
We both went into the living room and Nessie climbed back into my lap. She looked as though she were about 9 or 10 now. She looked like Bella in about everyway except she has my high cheekbones. She laid her hand on my cheek to show me all the chaos that happened in our home while we were gone. I then saw through her eyes my wife, staring out the kitchen window into the darkness. She was worried. I was too; I can't let anything break my family.
Esme and Rose got Nessie bathed and ready for bed; I sat on the corner of her bed and played the guitar for her until she fell asleep. When I heard the slow steady sigh escape from her lips I knew she was out. I put the guitar back on the stand next to our bed. I sat down on the couch between Bella and Alice.
"So, what did I miss?"
Jacob spoke first, "we are trying to determine how we will handle this guy if he shows up here."
"I see, and what is the plan. Besides, how do we know this guy will show up here? Are we supposed to be on guard from here on out?" I looked at Carlisle, "Maybe we need to move?"
"I don't that will be necessary, we don't know for sure he is coming for any of us."
I quickly got up and grabbed my carry on bag and pulled the folder out of the bag. I should have thought it through better before I acted Bella gasped and the hand that covered her mouth shook, I scared her. I closed my eyes in regret. Jacob took the folder from my hand and immediately started sniffing it. He flipped open to the page with Bella's picture. He started to shake.
Carlisle got up to grab Jacob's arm, "we need to get him out of here." Carlisle and Jasper helped Jacob out just before he lost it and transformed. Jacob had the scent off the folder; he began to pace around the house then back into the woods. I stood at the kitchen window and watched him disappear, he had found nothing yet, that was good news.
I walked to Bella and took her in my arms. "Bella, it will ok I promise. Jacob is about a mile from the house now and has not picked up on him. I am beginning to think it was just a coincidence." Carlisle and Esme got up and walked over to us, Esme spoke first, "Bella, dear, Edward is right everything will work out."
"No one will ever hurt our family Bella, no one." Carlisle reached out and put a hand on her shoulder. Bella let a small smile escape the look of fear and spread across her face. "Thank you all, I guess I still have enough of my human traits that I can't help but be worried."
"I think we are going to go and leave you two alone," I would swear Esme winked at Bella as she said it.
"Hey Bro, you need any pointers on how to distract your wife so you both can relax for awhile" Emmett was in hysterics before he got out the full sentence. "Emmett! I think Edward knows what to do." Alice hugged us both as she walked out the door to the car. Carlisle called back, "Please call us if the situation changes and you need us."
"They will be fine; it is going to be a quiet night for them…"
Once the car backed out of the drive, I shut the door and locked it. I turned and scooped up my beautiful wife and carried her off to the bed for a much needed distraction.