Chapter 1: First day

No Pov

Esme turned to look at her 'children'. She was appalled and angry with them at their behavior from only moments ago. The fact that the Swans were humans didn't mean they were stupid. She glared at them and they had the sense to look embarrassed. Carlisle called for the bill and they were on their way out. As they settled in their vehicles you could see the sides they were in.

Esme, Carlisle and Jasper in one car. Edward and Alice in another. Rosalie and Emmett in a third. Much faster than expected they arrived at their house and took their positions in the living room. Soon after the fighting began.

"What were you three thinking?"

She screeched. They remained silent. The whole room was silent.

"It doesn't matter. Tomorrow morning you're going to apologize for your behavior and beg her to take you back and proceed with the wedding Edward"

She continued a few moments later. Just as Edward was about to reply Alice's eyes rolled back in her head as she was experiencing a vision.

"It won't work. Renee is coming over tomorrow morning to return the ring and take Bella's things. Charlie is going to drop off at the paper the statement that the wedding is off. Phil is writing it right now. It's vague but makes it clear it's Edward's fault the wedding is off"

"And if Edward begs?"

"The same"

"I won't beg."

"Stop it Edward. This whole fiasco is your fault so don't you dare raise your voice to me"

Carlisle effectively ended the argument. The next topics were Jasper's change and how the family would deal with the gossip that would arise when the news that the wedding is cancelled would be public. Carlisle had studied the compound and came to the conclusion that the change from vampire to human would have the same duration as the change from human to vampire did. So early the next day Jasper would be beginning his new life as a human. At the same time the rest of the family would move away to both get away from the rumors and gossip and to leave the human Jasper alone. He would have blood in his body and that would be difficult for the rest of them. Surprisingly Alice didn't seem upset over leaving her mate behind.

After that everyone went to their respective rooms to pass their last night in Forks quietly while Alice packed Bella's things and got them ready for the next day. Esme & Carlisle went hunting and Rosalie and Emmett went to 'rearrange the woods'.

The next day the sun was shining brightly and Bella Swan took it as a good sign. Things last night were awkward at the Swan residence. As soon as they returned home Renee took off her shoes and sat down at the couch with Bella gently holding her daughter and acting as a mother for the first time. Charlie had taken the scotch out and poured four glasses overlooking the fact that his daughter wasn't old enough to drink knowing she needed a drink. Phil took a pad and a pen from the kitchen as well and used his knowledge from making statements for his baseball team and wrote the statement for the local newspaper that the wedding was off. He loved Bella as a little sister and knew that once she and Renee calmed down she would reconsider the break up. He didn't want her unhappy but he didn't want her to overlook herself either. After that drink everyone went to bed. Bella and Charlie went to their respective rooms and he and Renee slept on the couch not wanting to leave.

In the morning Charlie left for work dropping off the statement at the newspaper while Phil took Renee to visit the Cullens. She wanted to return the engagement ring and ask them to stay away from her daughter. They went over following Charlie's directions only to find that the Cullens were packing to leave. Esme Cullen gave them a box full of Bella's things and took the ring. She didn't offer any explanation on why they were leaving. Renee could feel her sadness but brushed of the other woman's empty sorry's as her priority was her daughter.

Just then Jasper's cries of pain were heard. Carlisle had used the compound on him and now was monitoring the effects.

About an hour later Esme, Edward, Alice, Emmett and Rosalie piled up in their respective cars and left the small town leaving Jasper in his struggle to become human again and start his new life and Carlisle monitoring his experiment.

Bella POV

I woke up slowly feeling the warm summer sunlight on my face. I stretched and went to sit by the window to breath in the fresh morning air. I looked at my now empty ring finger and felt as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

I went downstairs pulling my hair off my face in a messy bun. I was about to get breakfast when I saw Phil in his workout clothes.

"Morning Bella"

"Morning Phil, going somewhere?"

"I'm going for a workout. Wanna join?"

"If you can promise me not to fall flat on my face and break something I could sure use some time to blow off steam"

I smiled and ran upstairs to get ready. After spring break Alice had started teaching me how to fix my balance and walk in heels. I looked awful at first but now I was pretty good.

Unfortunately I didn't own any running clothes but I did have a short grey skorts from my beach days in Phoenix with a simple white tank top over a pair of athletic swimwear in a cute hot pink/black color. I pulled my hair in a ponytail and added a pair of dark sunglasses. I smiled at my reflection and went downstairs to see Phil next to two mountain bikes talking to mom who was squealing about a beetle car in a tacky shade of bright green.

"Where did these come from?"

They looked at each other in a silent conversation and then Phil turned to me.

"I rented them this morning when we went for a ride"

"Before or after you returned the ring?"

They both looked at me with a 'deer in the highlight' kinda look.

"I'm not stupid mom, I knew you'd do it while I was sleeping or busy, thanks"

She smiled at me and then beamed towards the car

"Do you like it? We need a second car and somehow I didn't think you'd keep his car"

I scrunched my nose in agreement.

"It's ... green"

I offered lamely. Phil laughed and we got on the bikes and were on our way. We pedaled keeping a good rhythm. Halfway to La Push Phil turned to me and asked how I was really coping. I didn't reply immediately. I felt good. I really love Edward but his obsession on keeping me human was getting on my nerves and his constant need to coddle me was stifling. However now that the wedding was off what would happen with the Volturi. I remembered clearly both Jane's face after the battle with Victoria and Caius when he said they'd visit us soon. What would happen now? Would they come and kill me as soon as they found out they'd been fooled? Change me by force? Take me and kill my parents? Or was Edward right and it could be up to 30 years before they came?

I was pulled out of my thoughts by Phil who shook me as we neared the turn for La Push. I told him the truth. The human version of the truth. I was relieved as I didn't really want this wedding but at a loss as to what happens now. I had been accepted to Dartmouth with Edward but I never wanted to go to Dartmouth in the first place and I couldn't afford it. I'd probably just go to the University of Seattle or Miami as I'd planned in the first place to be near my parents. Thankfully I had applied to both just as a precaution when Edward forced me to write the application before he gave up and wrote them himself in a perfect imitation on my hand writing. Note to self: brush up on the calligraphy lessons I took in middle school.

We arrived at the beach and I took gratefully the towel from Phil and wiped my forehead and hands. He introduced me to a series of exercises that left me breathless and without any preamble I took my clothes off and dove to the crystal clear water. It was strangely warm and for a moment I wondered if the local werewolves heated it up. I giggled at the thought and after a few laps I got out. Phil was sunbathing and in the distance I saw an overgrown Seth. I toweled myself off and I joined him.

"Hey Seth"

"He Bella"

"Can we talk for a moment?"

"Is it about Jake?"

"Yes and no. It's about the Cullens"

"What?"

"The wedding is off."

"For good?"

"For good. We hit a sore point and everything blew up last night"

"I'm sorry Bella"

"I'm not sure how I feel right now"

I chuckled sadly. We talked for some more and soon after my stomach growled. Loudly. Blushing I realized I had skipped breakfast. I bid Seth goodbye and fetched Phil. we got dressed and were on our way back. Renee met us at the lodge for a quick lunch and together we all returned home. Seeing the almost empty kitchen I took Renee's rental after my shower and drove to the supermarket. I shopped enough to feed a small army and returned home to see Renee writing notes to attach to the wedding gifts that had arrived the past days. She would drop them off in the morning at the post office. I went up in my room to get away from it all. This wasn't a bad dream I'd wake up from. It was over. It was real.

This was the first day in my Edwardless life.