N/A at bottom.

Now That You're Here

.

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes- Marcel Proust

.

Chapter Fifteen

Alaskan Mayday

.

Sitka, Alaska was a rather small island town when compared to home, at just under ten thousand occupants. Picturesque with a light dusting of snow, the town thrummed with the hustle and bustle that only a small town could provide. The local shops had pulled out all the stops, decked out in the full Christmas spirit as the cab drove past.

"This is such a beautiful place." I say, glancing at Alice before once again becoming distracted by the views.

"It is, isn't it." Alice hums. She'd spent the entire car ride pointing out her childhood haunts. "Boring as hell though." For a self-proclaimed city girl I imagined it would be, but to me the town was full of nature adventures- boat rides, mountain climbing, hiking, who knows what else you could do in this town. I found myself almost saddened at the prospect of only being here a week.

"Oh there it is!" Alice clapped her hands excitedly, pointing towards the long driveway to a house that sat nestled on the hill, and surrounded by a large mountain.

My jaw hit the floor.

This was her house?

A mixture of brick and stone masonry, the tudor style home was large and opulent. On either side of the large wooden doors, bay windows jutted out beneath the steepled roofs, and brick chimneys were scattered all around the roof.

"This is your home?" I pick my jaw off the floor, barely, as the cab pulled up in front of the four car garage.

"Our winter home." Alice grins when she sees my slack jawed expression. "Just kidding!"

After helping us with our bags, the cab drove away, leaving us before the monstrous home. Walking up the cobbled steps, we had barely made it to the front door before it was flung open and a mahogany haired woman threw herself at Alice.

"Mom!" Alice cries, dropping her suitcase, to hug her mother around the shoulders. "I'm so happy to see you!"

"Oh I missed you sweetie!" Her mother croons, letting go of her daughter in order to examine her from head to toe. "Oh you look wonderful! Wait until your father sees you!" Turning towards me, she smiles, extending a pale hand towards me. "You must be Bella."

I shake her hand and smile. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you Mrs. Cullen."

"Likewise. I've heard so many wonderful things about you." she walked us inside, and after Alice had hugged her father, introduced me to Mr. Cullen- tall, early fifties with greying blond hair and crow's feet that appeared when he smiled.

"Where is everyone?" Alice asks, shrugging her bag to the living room floor. The room was wide, and open, with large windowed doors covering an entire wall, which looked down at field and woods beyond.

"They're running behind. It seems our nephew forgot to pack his wife's bags and didn't realize it until they were more than an hour away." Mrs. Cullen smiles, shaking her head ruefully.

"That's just like him," Alice chuckles, plopping down onto one of the plush tan sofas.

I follow behind her, placing my own bag on the floor next to my feet as I sit down. "You have a lovely home."

"Thank you," Mrs. Cullen beams. "Carlisle designed it and I did the interior designs. Would you like a tour?"

"Mom!" Alice admonishes, "We just got here. Give us some time to relax before you drag her on a walking tour of the place."

"Of course, what was I thinking." Alice's mom rolls her eyes. "I'll show you to your room at least. That way you can relax and then let me know when you want the guided tour." She winks and motions me to follow her.

I smile my thanks, and grabbing my bag I follow her up the stairs and down to the end of the long hallway where she pushes the door open.

The room was bigger than my living room and tiny kitchen combined. It was a cream colored concoction, with pale wooden floors and a high beamed ceiling. The bed sat center, covered in a grey and blue duvet that overlooked the wall-sized glass doors that observed the frozen lake and mountains in the distance.

Sitting my bag on the bed, my hands rise to my cheeks as I stare out the glass doors. "This is absolutely breathtaking. I love it!"

"It does have a rather spectacular view, doesn't?" She smiles softly, running a hand down the grey and blue duvet. "This was my nephew's room whenever he would visit, but he hasn't come in years, so I figured, why waste the view?"

"Believe me," I say, unable to tear my gaze away, "this view definitely will not go to waste."

"I'm glad to hear that," she says. "Take your time unpacking, and then hopefully I'll be able to introduce you to my other nephew and his lovely wife whenever they decide to deign us with their presence." Shutting the door, she leaves me to bask in the wondrous view below. It was hard to pull myself away from the scenery, but the sooner I finished, the sooner I could stare some more.

This trip was exactly what I needed. This would be the perfect opportunity to refresh and relax, and to completely wipe the slate clean of all things that had happened back home over the course of the last few months.

Well wipe it clear as much as I could. Although I'd been sending whatever money I could each week to his office, to pay back the loan, I hadn't heard a word from him and it worried me. I kept telling myself it was because of the shop. I still didn't know what was going to happen to it now that I'd finally, for good, ended whatever it was that we had with each other.

But for the next week, at least, my only concern was over-indulging in hot chocolate, and sneaking snowballs at Alice whenever I got the chance.

It took only a few minutes to fully unpack. Thanks to Alice lending me some of her cold weather gear, I'd only had to pack the essentials.

Stealing one more glance at the gorgeous view, I wander back towards the living room.

As I head down the stairs I can hear an influx of voices, and assume the rest of the family had finally arrived.

The first thing I notice when I reach the bottom of the stairs, is the beautiful blonde hugging Mrs. Cullen, and the hulking man beside her, who grins and waves at me. "Long time, no see, Bella!"

I flinch, my eyes automatically going back to the blonde, who's eyes snap up to mine as she lets go of Mrs. Cullen.

Her eyes are indiscernible. Surprised, definitely, at seeing me, and believe me the feeling was very much returned, but there was also, anger?

But no, not at me… at Alice. Rose's eyes are furious as she glares at Alice. Did she not want me here? Or was there some other reason she could possible be mad at Alice for?

But the answer reveals itself a moment later. "Rose? Em? Did you guys desert me again?"

My body stiffens, freezes, my eyes, as large as a doe, shoot between Rose and Alice; back and forth, unable to discern what I know I will see in only a moment's time. "Alice?" My voice is a broken whisper, a plea that will not go answered.

"Ah, so this is where the party is." Edward walks into the room, sitting his bag on the floor. He's picturesque in his dark jeans and grey sweater; just as heartbreakingly handsome as ever.

He hugs his aunt and uncle, completely oblivious to my internal ramblings as I stand petrified near the stairs- willing the floor to open, to devour me and to swallow me whole.

"It is such a surprise to see you, Edward!" Esme says ecstatic, hugging him once again. "I wished I knew you were coming. I gave your room to Alice's friend, so we'll have to place you in one of the other rooms."

"That's not a problem. Hopefully Alice's friend will enjoy the view as much as I-," turning to grin at Alice, his eyes land on my sunken form by the banister.

His jaw slackens, his eyes widening as they take me in. "Bella," his voice is a whisper, a symphony of my name, and yet I flinch back, hitting the banister. His mouth opens, closes, and opens again as he repeatedly tries and fails to speak.

"I-I didn't know," I whisper, hyper aware of the audience that surrounds us. " I didn't know. Alice said… she said it was her parents. I didn't know; she didn't tell me that it was your family too."

He shakes his head slowly, his adam's apple straining as he tries to articulate. "Don't." He swallows and tries again, "Don't be; I had no idea. I didn't know you were going to be here. I-I wanted to give you space. The last...the last thing I wanted to do was…" he trails off, running a hand over his face.

The stares are unbearable- pin pricks against my skin, and my ears itch at the hushed whispers and angry words between Alice and Rose.

Edward. I hadn't seen him in weeks. Hadn't dared tried. Not since I'd kicked him out; not since I had truly, once and for all, left my fate in his hands.

Carlisle clears his throat, trying and failing to break the tension in the room. "How do you two know each other?"

I inhale, shaking my head softly. Across from me, I see Edward, unconsciously, do the same. I'm being rude, incredibly rude by not responding, but what would I tell them? That he had been my… employer? Employer with benefits? Lover? My own devil incarnate? None of them fit; they all fit.

My heart is in an uproar. A pounding, wild beast that beats painfully against my chest. An angry, feral cat; a scared kitten. "I'll go. I don't want to get in the way of your reunion. It's the holidays, you should all be together." I flee up the stairs, ignoring Alice's protests and Edward's searing gaze.

.

.

I'm sorry I've been MIA. It's been a hard year. Depression, mom and granddad in the hospital, and all that jazz. I've been feeling very guilty at not posting and I hope you don't all hate me. Feel free to message me if you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them. Thank you for sticking with me this long. I have one more chapter that will go up by the end of the year, and I'm hoping I can use this small break to write, write, write before school starts back up again.

Thanks again guys XX