Epiphany

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

A/N-thank you very much to everyone who kindly reviewed the last chapter.

Chapter Fifteen-Shock

"It was a fun weekend wasn't it, kiddo." Charlie mused as he dumped their bags in the hallway after returning from La Push. "It's just a pity it was over so fast."

"Yeah." Bella replied distractedly. Her gaze was focused on the staircase leading up to her bedroom. She knew who would be waiting for her inside.

"You and Jake all good now?" Charlie checked.

Bella's face softened when he mentioned Jacob. "Don't stress, Dad. Jake and I are fine."

Charlie relaxed enough to smile. "That's great. We should invite him and Billy over for dinner next weekend to say thank you."

"Only as long as you stay out of the kitchen and let me do the cooking." Bella teased. "Your last attempt was less than stellar."

"Fine by me." Charlie laughed. "Do you want help taking your bags up?"

"No." Bella said hastily. "I'm all good." She glanced reluctantly towards the staircase again, knowing she couldn't put off the inevitable any longer. She gave Charlie a weak smile as she grabbed her bags and slowly began to climb the stairs.

Edward was standing by the window with his back to her when Bella entered her bedroom. She tensed, waiting for his fury, but when it didn't come, she felt confused. "So, I'm back." She declared lamely.

Edward slowly turned to face her. He smiled at her, his whole posture radiating calm, which left Bella feeling more bewildered than ever. There was no friction in the air between them as he walked over and embraced her. He cradled her against his chest. "I missed you." He murmured in his velvet voice. His fingers knotted in her hair as he sought her lips to kiss.

Bella held still and her breathing became uneven as his cold lips skated over hers before leaving and pressing a soft kiss just under her jaw. "I'm glad you came back. Welcome home."

"Um…. thanks." Bella didn't know why his apparent calm was making her feel so uneasy. She felt like he was trying to lull her into a false sense of security, but then felt guilty for thinking he would be so devious. "I thought you would still be annoyed with me." She said hesitantly.

"I've done a lot of thinking over the last couple of days." Edward's arms tightened around her as he spoke. "And I've come to the conclusion I was wrong to act the way I did. Its much easier to have proper perspective when I have you safely here."

"Where is all this tolerance coming from?" Bella asked suspiciously. "I spent the whole weekend in La Push and now you're suddenly okay with that."

Edward let out an exasperated sigh. "I decided that you were right. My problems before was more about my…. prejudice against werewolves than anything else."

"You mean one werewolf in particular."

"Look, Bella, this has always been about your safety. I'm trying to be reasonable and trust your judgement. If you say its safe, then I'll believe you."

"Wow." Bella didn't hide the sarcasm in her voice. "So, I finally have your permission."

Edward's jaw tensed as he tried not to lose his patience. "That's not what I'm doing. Don't wilfully misunderstand me, Bella. I'm not about to let Jacob Black drive a wedge between us."

"I think the wedge was there long before Jake became an issue." Bella retorted. She was in a resentful mood and couldn't understand why. After suppressing her feelings about the way Edward treated her for so long, she had reached the breaking point of her patience with him. He really could be an arrogant ass. He really thought he was doing her a favour by suddenly being so reasonable about her spending time in La Push. It was just another attempt at manipulation-twisting everything around to make himself look like the rational one.

Edward noted the tension in her body. He reached out and put his hands on her shoulders. "You're just tired, Bella. You should sleep."

"For fu…." Bella took a deep breath to calm her temper. The last thing she needed was for Charlie to overhear her blowing her stack. She lowered her voice. "I am not tired, Edward. I'm aggravated."

Edward was still for a moment, controlling whatever reaction he didn't want her to see. After a minute when he was more composed, he put his arms back around her and crushed her gently to his chest. "Whatever I did to upset you. I'm very sorry." He apologised contritely.

Bella sighed and tried to relax, but the tension just wouldn't leave her. Now she had opened the Pandora's box of her anger, she couldn't close it again. "I can't. I just can't…" She said, shaking her head as she pushed him away.

"Can't what?" Edward reached for her face and held it between his ice-cold hands. "For once I wish I could read your mind." He said in frustration. "I need to know what you're thinking."

"I'm glad you can't." Bella carefully moved his hands away from her face. "You might not like what I'm thinking right now."

"Which is?" Edward couldn't quite conceal his anxiety.

Bella rested her gaze on his handsome face, but just briefly, the sorrow already building. "I'm thinking that I wish you had never come back."

"Knew the signs, wasn't right

I was stupid for a while

Swept away by you

And now I feel like a fool

So, confused

My heart's bruised."

Bella was so lost in the music that she didn't hear Charlie come into her room after spending the last few minutes knocking on her bedroom door. She was lying on her bed, ear buds stuck firmly in her ears, while she listened to the same lyrics over and over again on repeat. When she saw his face suddenly looming over hers, she let out a very unladylike squeal of surprise.

"You scared me half to death!" She accused, yanking the earbuds out of her ears. "Why didn't you knock?"

Charlie rolled his eyes. "I did. You didn't hear me because you had those stupid things stuck in your ears." He answered irritably. "Phone."

"Who is it?" Bella sighed.

"Alice."

"I'm out." Bella stuffed the earbuds back in her ears and closed her eyes to block out Charlie's impatient glare. He shook his head, grumbling under his breath about moody teenage daughters as he left the room. When she was sure he was gone, Bella cranked up the music.

"So much hurt, so much pain

Takes a while to regain

What is lost inside

And I hope that, in time

You'll be out of my mind

And I'll be over you."

Bella ignored the phone when it began to ring again, just like she ignored all the messages on her cell from Alice and Edward. She made herself some breakfast but her appetite evaporated. She grimaced and dumped it in the trash and went to wash up the dishes. With Charlie outside tidying up the backyard, Bella decided to put on some angry music while she washed up, to drown out the chaos going on inside her head.

"There's only hate, there's only tears

There's only pain, there is no love here

So, what will you do?

There's only lies, there's only fears

There's only pain, there is no love here

Broken down like a mirror smashed to pieces

You learned the hard way to shut your mouth and smile

If these walls could talk, they would have so much to say

'Cause every time you fight the scars are gonna heal

But they're never gonna go away."

"Bella!" Charlie bellowed to make himself heard above the loud music. "Turn that crap down!"

"No!" Bella yelled back at him as easy tears sprang into her eyes. She stormed toward the stairs.

"That's not very attractive behaviour, Bella." Charlie called after her as he switched off the music. "What is wrong with you?"

"Mind your own business!" Bella retorted.

Charlie frowned, feeling completely stumped by his daughter's odd behaviour. She seemed pissed off about something, but he couldn't figure out what was wrong with her. She was moody, biting his head off for no discernible reason. She was ignoring phone calls from Alice Cullen and listening to sad and angry music about relationship breakups….

A light bulb went off over Charlie's head and he grinned. "You listen to all the angry music you want, kiddo." He muttered as he switched the CD player back on and turned up the volume.

Bella knew the laundry was building up, so after she had cleaned her teeth and put the toothpaste away, she threw her dirty clothes in the hamper and went to strip Charlie's bed. She left his sheets in a pile at the top of the stairs and went to get hers. She paused beside her bed, looking at it, puzzled.

Where was her pillow?

She turned in a circle, scanning the room. No pillow. She also noticed her room was oddly tidy. Hadn't her grey sweatshirt been on the floor near the window when she had thrown it at Edward the night before when she demanded he leave. And she could swear there had been a pair of dirty socks draped over the back of the rocking chair, along with the fancy red blouse Alice had gifted her, but which she had never worn because it made her look like a blood stain. She spun around again, her hamper wasn't empty, but it wasn't overflowing the way she thought it had been.

Was Charlie doing laundry? That was out of character.

Bella ran down the stairs, yelling above the loud music to make herself heard. She thought she had turned it off. "Dad, did you do the wash?" She stopped short when she reached the kitchen to find her father swaying back and forth playing air guitar. "What are you doing?"

Charlie startled at her sudden appearance. He cleared his throat in embarrassment and quickly switched off the CD player. "Nothing." He mumbled, his cheeks growing warm. "What did you say?"

"I asked if you did the wash." Bella said again.

"Um, no." Charlie mumbled, looking guilty. "Did you want me to?"

"No, I got it. Were you looking for anything in my room?"

"No. Why?"

"I can't find…a shirt…"

"I haven't been in there."

"Oh." Bella wandered back up the stairs to check again. She knew she was probably being paranoid, but it seemed like that wasn't the only piece of clothing that was missing. It was a mystery.

Finally giving up, she ripped the sheets off her bed and headed for the laundry closet, grabbing Charlie's on the way down. The washing machine was empty. She checked the dryer, too, half expecting to find a washed load waiting for her. Nothing.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" Charlie asked as he passed her on his way to the living room.

"Not yet."

Bella put the washing on and went back upstairs to search under her bed. Nothing but dust bunnies. She really needed to hoover under there more often, she decided, she'd been slacking off on the cleaning front. The doorbell rang, distracting her from her search.

"Door." Charlie yelled up the stairs.

Bella froze, worried it might be Edward or Alice. She tripped her way down the stairs to stop Charlie answering it. But she was too late, he had already pulled it open. "Hey, Jake." He said in greeting.

"Hey, Charlie. Bells in?"

Bella let out the breath she didn't realise she had been holding. She smiled in relief as Charlie stood aside to let Jacob in. "Hi, Jake."

"Hi."

"Do you want a drink, Jake?" Charlie offered.

"I'd like a soda."

"Bells?"

"No thanks." Bella was about to gesture for Jacob to come further into the hallway, when he grabbed her hand and pulled her back outside with him. She was about to protest, when she got a good look at his face. His eyes were wide, his nostrils flared as if he was smelling something very unpleasant. "What is it?" She asked in alarm.

"I smell vampire." Jacob said harshly. "And its not the Cullens."

A/N-thanks for reading! Please review.