CHAPTER EIGHTY-THREE

BELLA'S POV:

Sitting in the living room, I turned to look at my baby, my Tony. He had been exceptionally quiet these last few days. He was taking Edward's absence hard; he seemed to have just shut down. The only time he appeared to have any life in him is when Edward called. And thankfully, he's missing Tony just as much, and has taken it upon himself to call multiple times a day. I'm not sure how he is managing to pull that off while being at work, but I am thankful that he is trying to lessen the sting of his absence any way he can. I hate seeing my son like this, but there wasn't much else I could do. I'm hoping that Alice and Sophia's arrival today will bring him out of his funk.

While he sat there mindlessly watching cartoons, I thought back over all that had happened since Jessica showed up our doorstep. I was worried her visit was going to sour the good day that Edward and Tony had, but we decided to look on the bright side of the visit instead of focusing too much on the evil that is Jacob Black. Jessica did us a favor by clueing us into what was going on, and for that, we were immensely grateful. We no longer were going to sit back and wait for Jacob's next move. It was time for us to make some important decisions.

That night, after putting Tony to bed, we sat in the kitchen and hashed everything out. Sue was going to stay with us 24/7 until Alice arrived so that we were never alone. I thought that was a little overkill; I didn't think Jacob was stupid enough to come here. But Edward pointed out that we didn't know who this private investigator was, or what he was capable of. I did talk Edward out of hiring a security detail to sit outside of the house. Instead, I promised to be on the lookout for anything strange or out of the ordinary, like disrupted locks or forced open windows. Thankfully, being the police chief's daughter, I knew what to keep an eye out for. Plus, I was friendly enough with the deputies down at the station that if I ever suspected foul play, they wouldn't hesitate to come check things out for us. All of this seemed to appease Edward some.

When we came to the point of the discussion of when Edward would be coming back, we both agreed that it probably was safer for Tony and I to come to Chicago sooner rather than later. Alice was going to be here for just over a week, and then would be heading home. It was decided that as long as my doctor gave me the green light, Tony and I would be on the flight to Chicago with her. With how well all of my other appointments had been going, I doubted we would run into any roadblocks. However, if the doctor didn't clear me to fly, then Edward would be coming back for his two days off, before turning back around. It wasn't ideal, but at least we had a plan.

We called Sam, and gave him a brief overview of what Jessica had told us. He promised to stop by sometime this week so I could show him the content on the flash drive. Edward had wanted to get a restraining order against Jacob, but Sam didn't think we had much of a case. While what Jacob is doing can be perceived as a threat, he hasn't acted on anything. It's sad that you pretty much have to wait for something bad to happen before you could pursue legal ramifications. I just hope that it doesn't come to that. Only time will tell. Before ending the call, Edward gave Sam his lawyer Garrett's information so the two could work together going forward. Especially since we would be in Chicago for the next few months, we had to keep both lawyers on retainer in case we needed to file paperwork there as opposed to Washington.

I was proud that we managed our way through an adult conversation without any hiccups. It really showed you how far we had come in these few weeks. No, we didn't agree on everything, but we both rationally explained our sides and compromised where we could. It really gave me hope that we could raise Tony together. I went to bed that night with a smile on my face despite all the drama.

The next day, Edward took Tony out to pick up breakfast from the diner. I wanted them to spend as much time together as possible, as we were running out of it. Breakfast was lighthearted, and at first, you never would have guessed that doomsday was approaching. But once the table was cleared, and the dishes washed, Edward went upstairs to retrieve his bags. That was the catalyst, and Tony couldn't hold in his thoughts anymore.

"I don't want you to go!" He wailed, stomping his foot to emphasize his point.

"I know buddy, but just like I told you yesterday, I have to go back to do my job. There are a lot of sick people that need me," Edward patiently explained.

"But I need you. Mommy needs you too. Especially now 'cuz she's in the chair."

"We're going to see each other soon, I promise buddy. And we're going to talk all the time on the phone. You're going to talk to me so much, that you're going to get sick of me."

"If I get sick of you, then you have to come back, right? You could be the doctor to make me feel better," Tony insisted.

Edward ruffled his hair, before pulling Tony into a tight hug. "I love you Tony. It's going to be hard not being here with you, but we are going to get through this. And soon, you and Mommy are going to get on a plane and come to Chicago to be with me."

"How soon? Tomorrow?"

"Not that soon buddy." He pulled up a calendar app on Tony's tablet, and together they counted how many days until they would be reunited. "We can have a countdown. Every night before bed, we can check one more day off the calendar. When we get to the big red X mark, then we'll have a big celebration filled with hugs and kisses."

"I like the sound of that," Tony sighed, before squeezing Edward in for another hug.

"Now, I want you to be good for your Mommy, okay? Just like you said, she's still in the chair and needs a lot of help around the house. I know you are such a good helper, so I'm sure you're going to be on your best behavior, and assist where you can, right?" Edward asked.

"Yes sir. I'm going to be the best helper ever," Tony promised. "I'm a big boy. I can do lots to help."

"That's good buddy. You're more than just a big boy. You're the man of the house. I'm very proud of you," he praised, leaving Tony with a smile on his face. It was a welcome sight.

After his bags were packed in the car, Edward came inside and squatted down in front of me in my chair. He grasped my hand in his, and just looked at how our hands were clasped together. He seemed to be mulling over what he wanted to say, so I let him gather his thoughts. Quicker than I anticipated, his eyes shot up to lock with mine.

"I'm going to miss this Bella. Being here with Tony. For Tony. But also this," he said, slightly raising our joined hands. "This is important to me Bella. I've loved the time I got to spend with you. Especially our mornings."

"Mornings. Were fun," I offered, giving him a shy smile. I too enjoyed the adult conversation and getting to know one another again.

"And I want more of them. We will be together again soon. Just like I'll be counting down the days with Tony, know that I'll be counting down the days until I get to see those beautiful brown eyes once again." I blushed as per usual, because I've never been able to take a compliment well. Edward brushed a finger across my heated cheeks, and muttered, "stunning" under his breath, causing me to turn even redder.

With a sigh, Edward stood up, before adding, "Keep your cell phone close Bella, because I'm going to need to get my Bella dose in some way or another."

"Can't talk. Too well," I reminded him.

Edward wiggled his fingers at me. "You can talk with your fingers Bella. Texting is like the new AIM. We can have just as thorough a conversation that way."

"Sounds good. Keep me. Enter-tained."

"It'll be my pleasure, Ms. Swan," he crooned.

It looked like he wanted to say more, but instead he just smiled, and leaned in to give me a hug. I admit I held on as tight as I could with my one good arm. Besides a few hand grasps here and there, I really hadn't had much physical interaction with Edward, and I guess you could say that I was starving for it. It just sucks that the first real hug I got from him was a goodbye one.

With a final hug for Tony, Edward was out the door, and heading away from us. Tony immediately burst into tears after Edward left, running to his room. I sighed, saddened that I couldn't follow after him thanks to this stupid chair. Sue would be here within the hour though, and would go check on him if he didn't reemerge before then. I wheeled myself into the kitchen so I could splash some water on my face. I wasn't surprised to find tears on my cheeks as well. I didn't want Edward to go anymore than Tony; I just wasn't as capable of admitting that.

The sound of the doorbell snapped me out of my recollecting. Tony's sourpuss morphed with curiosity as he jumped off the couch, and raced to see who our latest visitor was. I rushed to roll after him, not wanting him to open the door without an adult present.

There in all her exuberance was Alice, bouncing around before she rushed in and grabbed Tony, bringing him in for a huge hug. Rocking him side to side, she said, "That's from your dad. He said that I needed to squeeze you extra tight to make sure you felt all his love. Did you feel it? You know he's going to call and ask about it later."

"Oh boy, did I feel it! That was a strong hug. Did Daddy have a hug for Mommy too?" Tony innocently asked.

Alice smirked my way, "Daddy would never forget Mommy. He wanted me to give her a kiss on the cheek though, just incase a big hug would hurt her." Alice sauntered over to me, and laid a nice wet one on my cheek. I'm sure the added noises were for Tony's benefit. He couldn't help but chuckle at her antics. I was just pleased to see a smile on his face.

"Tony!" we heard, noticing Sophia rushing in to greet her best friend. After a quick hello in my direction, the two were off to Tony's room to get settled.

"Sounds like you guys have had quite a few exciting days around here. Am I going to be subjected to more drama, or do you think we can lay off the heavy for this visit?" Alice jested, coming in and plopping herself down on the living room couch.

"You know. I didn't. Ask. For the. Drama." I said.

"What are you talking about Bella? You're such a drama queen. It follows you everywhere," she sarcastically replied, before cracking herself up. "Okay, so you're the least likely to have drama consume your life. I think that's why its so entertaining for me to see it happening."

"Glad my. Life. Amuses you."

"Oh, you know what I mean silly. Lighten up. We're going to have so much fun together. I can't wait."

"Take it. Easy. On me. I'm out. Of practice." I warned, though I'm sure knowing Alice, she already had every minute of this visit already planned out.

"I'm on strict orders to be a help and not a hinderance. I promise to be on my best behavior," she said, while rolling her eyes.

"Strict orders?" I asked, wondering if those came from Edward or Jasper.

"You know my brother. He's such a worrywart. He understands how much I want to rekindle our relationship and hit the ground running. He was worried I was going to overwhelm you. I told him I knew what I was doing, and to butt out. But he's incapable of doing that."

I smiled, imagining what types of stipulations he tried to lay out for Alice. Being related to her, he should know better. Trying to tell Alice what to do is like talking to a brick wall. She marched through life to the beat of her own drum. It's one of the things that drew me to her in the first place.

"We'll. Be fine." I offered, hoping I was speaking the truth.

"Righty-oh, sister," she laughed, before launching into a recap of what I missed since they returned home. It was nice just sitting there catching up with Alice. It would have been even nicer if we could have been sharing a bottle of white wine while doing so, but thanks to my pain meds, it wasn't safe for me to dabble with alcohol. Soon though, I thought. Soon we could have a true girl's night. Us being in Chicago will make that a definite possibility.

I wasn't aware of how much time had passed until Sophia and Tony came back down with grumbling stomachs. Since I was sure Alice and Sophia were tired from traveling, I opted to just order in tonight. We settled on Chinese, and popped in a family movie to tide the kids over until the food arrived. Dinner was a boisterous affair, but knowing Alice, and considering Sophia was her daughter, it really couldn't have gone any other way. I was just pleased to see a vast improvement in Tony's mood. And that mood soared even higher when Edward's face lit up on the tablet, signaling a facetime call.

"Daddy, my best friend is here!" Tony said, in lieu of a proper greeting.

"I know buddy! Are you having fun with your guests?" he asked.

Looking over Tony's shoulder, I could see on the screen how tired Edward looked, but you wouldn't have been able to tell with how animated he was trying to be for his son. I tuned out the conversation, wondering if he was taking care of himself, or if he was running himself ragged. I wouldn't be surprised if it were the latter, as it would be an easier way for him to cope with the absence. I began to worry that he was spending his free time talking to Tony these last few days instead of napping like he should be during long shifts. Doctors needed sleep to be able to perform at their best. But Edward was an adult—he obviously knew what he could and could not handle.

"Mommy?" I heard, drawing me back to the present. I looked at Tony to see he had a strange look on his face.

"What baby? Sorry. Didn't hear." I said, hoping he'd repeat himself.

"Daddy asked you a question. He asked you two times." Tony said, pointing to the screen.

Looking at Edward, I saw the look of concern on his face. I needed to fix this. "Was trying. To give. You two. Space. Wasn't listening. Sorry."

"Its okay Bella. I just asked if Alice was driving you up the wall yet." Both he and I heard his sister scoff in the background.

I spared her a glance before answering, "She's been. Great. Missed her."

"You say that now, but seven days is a long time. If you need saving, just shoot me a message," he offered.

"Not going. To tattle. On her." I laughed, which erased that look of concern from his face.

"Just remember to speak up if you need a break. We all know she's a lot to handle."

"Thanks a lot Edward," Alice yelled, but with a smile on her face. Tony couldn't tell she was pretending to be upset though.

"Uh oh, Daddy. Aunt Alice is not happy with you now."

"Don't worry about Aunt Alice Tony. Brothers and sisters fight all the time, but its mostly pretend. Right Alice?" he asked louder, to show he was talking to her.

"Of course. I was just pretending to be upset. I know that I have a lot of energy and sometimes I tire people out. But just because I know it, doesn't mean I like Edward telling everyone about it."

Tony still looked unsure, but replied, "Okay. I just don't want people to be upset and start fighting."

"No fighting here buddy. I promise," Alice said. "Why don't you take the call into the living room so you can talk to your daddy more?"

"Okay. Say bye to everyone daddy."

"Bye Alice. Bye Sophia," he called out. Then focused on me. "Goodbye Bella." The way my name sounded coming out of his mouth was like a soft caress. How could he put so much emotion behind a simple saying? He was a dangerous creature. Sophia followed Tony out of the kitchen, leaving me alone with Alice.

"What's on your mind Bella? You really zoned out there," she probed.

"He looks. So tired. Should be. Sleeping," I explained, while busying myself with cleaning up.

"I'm sure he'll sleep after he talks with Tony. He's struggling with this distance more than he lets on. I think he's worried Tony is going to forget about him or something. That's why he calls any chance he gets."

I was surprised Edward could think Tony would forget him. Tony thinks he hung the moon. Edward could do no wrong in his eyes. "Not true. One call. Would be. Enough," I rationalized.

"I'm sure the number of calls will decrease over time. But until he feels more secure, I doubt you could convince him otherwise Bella." That was what I was worried about. Right now, Tony's talking to Edward two or three times a day. If the number of calls decrease, how would Tony take that? I didn't want Edward to set a precedence, and then look like he was flaking off. But Alice wasn't the person I needed to have this conversation with, so I simply nodded to show that I heard what she said. I had to be careful how I worded this to Edward, because I didn't want him to think he was being too clingy. Thankfully, with the joy of texting, I could word and reword what I wanted to say before actually sending it.

Alice and I worked in silence cleaning up the kitchen, and storing the leftover food. I truthfully was feeling more rundown today than I had recently. It could just be because I hadn't been sleeping well, worrying about Tony. I was looking forward to Sue coming and helping me get ready for bed. I figured I would need a good night's sleep if I was going to handle Alice and her schemes.

"Not being. Good guest. But tired. Going to bed. After Sue," I explained, hoping I wasn't going to ruin Alice's plans.

"Sounds good to me Bella. Rest up. And I promise I won't raid your closet without you." I forgot that she would be staying in my room. I seriously doubted she would toss out my wardrobe without checking with me first, but with Alice, you never know. She already snooped plenty while I was asleep in the hospital, so its not like I really had anything left to hide.

"Better not. Need to. Stick up. For my. Clothes," I jested back, to show that I trusted her.

"I will allow you to justify your choices before I banish them, and then replenish your wardrobe."

Thankfully, I was saved from responding by Sue's arrival. With a goodnight to her, and the children, I retired for the night.