Assumption 6

Reflection

EPOV:

I was able to reach the meadow in good time. It helped that I was still angry with Bella about the lies she spouted about Charlie. That man loved her and would never have told her that he didn't want her. There was only one time that he asked her to postpone her visit and that was because of Jacob Black. He feared that she would be in danger when she was here and made the decision to ask her to wait to come up here. This was the first time that she returned to Forks since then.

I stretched out on the blanket that I had brought with me and closed my eyes. This was my one and only refuge where no one could find me. My family knew that I loved to hike in the woods but I never told them about the meadow. This is where I left everything and everyone behind. I let the sun warm me as I shut down my brain and allowed myself to drift to sleep.

When I awoke a couple of hours later, I reached into my bag and pulled out the lunch that I had packed. I downed the first beer in the six pack that I brought with me and immediately grabbed a second one. I know that it's not the brightest idea to be drinking alone in the woods when you have a long hike back down the mountain, but I really didn't give a shit right now.

As soon as I was done eating I stuffed the rest of the beers in the cooler to keep cold. I walked toward the creek that flowed past the edge of the meadow, stripping off my clothes as I went until I was completely naked. The only things that were around to see me were a few deer and squirrels, and maybe a mountain lion or two. It felt good to be this free and unhindered. It had been a long time since I did this last. Not since my perfect life started falling apart.

I floated in the warm water, glad that it was the middle of summer and I could still do this. I allowed my mind to drift back to Bella and Charlie. I wanted to hate her. I wanted to forget that she existed but I knew that it was going to be impossible. The truth was that I usually ended up laughing and smiling when I was hanging out with her. There were moments that I could see Charlie in her.

I was up at the crack of dawn to get out of cell phone range before my family could start to bug me. I didn't feel like talking to them or anyone right now. I had too much going through my head to be around anyone that I cared about today. I was hiding. It was that plain and simple. I was a coward and I proved it last night when I called Bella a liar and walked out of the house without another word. It was not my best moment. I can admit to that.

The creek was deep enough for me to dip under the water and just disappear for a moment in time. I resurfaced only when I absolutely had to. Then I went under again. I did this until my lungs hurt so bad that I couldn't continue and then I went back to floating.

I wanted to be able to stay the night here and camp but I couldn't because Charlie's funeral was in the morning. I stayed as late as I could before I finally had to start making my way back down the mountain to ensure that I got to my car before nightfall.

I made it back to my apartment to find my brother waiting for me. As in, he let himself into my home and was sitting on my couch eating my food waiting for me.

"As a deputy you should know that breaking and entering is a felony." I deadpanned as I walked past him.

"It's legal as an officer of the law to enter the home of a citizen if he has just cause to believe that a crime has been committed, or that the citizen is in need of emergency assistance."

"And how does that apply here?"

"You made your mother worried about you when you didn't show to church or brunch today."

"Damn it. I sent a text to all of you. I just wanted to be left alone."

"I know. That is why I told mom that I'd come and check on you so she wouldn't. You're still going to have to deal with her tomorrow but, hell, we were all worried. What's up?"

"It's nothing."

"Bullshit. It's not like you to skip church for any reason. You come sick. So talk to me."

"It's nothing and it's everything. Did you see Bella today?"

"Nope. Couldn't find her either. We all thought that she might have been with you."

"No." I didn't want to go into last night. My brother was big on treating ladies right and he definitely would have pummeled me for the way I treated Bella last night. "I haven't heard from her since last night."

"You've been spending a lot of time with her. You see that she's not as horrible as you thought she'd be?"

"No. Yes. She's….I don't know. She's very confusing and irritating."

"All women are. You've been married. You know this."

"Don't go there, man. Now is not the time for me to think about her."

"Ok. Ok. Are you going to be alright tonight? I'm not going to get a call that you did something stupid."

"I'm fine. I'm just tired from playing in the woods all day."

"Man, I'd love to know where you disappear to all the time. It sucks that you refuse to show me. Alright, I need to get to work, but if you decide you're ready to talk, call me. I'll call mom and tell her you're home and safe and in one piece and she'll see you in the morning. You get some sleep, but please shower first because you are beyond funky, dude."

"I'd be in the shower already if you weren't here."

"I'm gone."

Finally I was alone again. First though, I threw a TV dinner in the oven to heat up while I took Emmett's advice on the shower and ironed my suit for the morning. When everything was done I plopped myself in front of the TV to eat and clear my mind. I was just about to turn off the TV and go to bed when my phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hello Edward. I…uh…I heard about Charlie and wanted to make sure that you were alright." I closed my eyes and wondered if it were possible for my night to get any worse. If I didn't want to think about my ex-wife, I sure as hell didn't want to talk to her either.

BPOV:

I sat there after Edward stormed out of the house, dumbfounded that he acted that way. He asked. I answered. If he didn't want to hear the truth then why the hell did the dumbass ask in the first place? I grabbed my blankets and pillow and made up my bed on the couch and collapsed. Not that I was able to get to sleep. I kept thinking about how angry Edward got when I answered his question. Once I convinced myself that I didn't care I was able to fall asleep.

I woke in the morning to my cell phone ringing. I grabbed it off the end table. "Yeah," I all but barked into the phone.

"Well, good morning to you too, Sunshine!" Jamie laughed at me.

"It's too early for this shit."

"It's almost noon."

I sat up and looked at the clock and sure enough, it was a quarter to noon, "Wow. I had no idea. I was up late last night."

"Everything ok?"

"Fine."

"You never could lie to me Bella. Not even a thousand miles away. What's wrong?"

"Just some drama with a local. Nothing that I can't handle."

"I'm sure. Just don't anger the mourning locals to the point that they throw you out of town."

"I didn't even do anything wrong! He asked me a question. I answered honestly. It's not my fault that he didn't like my answer."

I heard him groan, "Bella, if the question had anything to do with Charlie, you need to watch how you phrase things around these people. I don't think you understand how flippant you come off when you talk about him. You try to make people think you don't care that your relationship with him fell apart so they don't see how hurt you really feel. If you had just talked to the man…" I rolled my eyes. "Whatever, I didn't call to have this argument with you again. Look, the reason I called was to warn you that Renee boarded a plane this morning and will be in Forks tonight."

"Why?"

"Bella. She's your mother and his ex-wife. She wants to be there for you and pay her respects to a man that she did love. Why is it that you can never understand these things? I can't believe you write romance novels, and quit rolling your eyes at me."

"Are you done yet?"

"Yes."

"How's my cat?"

"He's fine. Vicky brought him up to our place so he doesn't get lonely."

"Well, he can't be too good if you don't remember that 'he' is a she, hence the name Princess." He laughed and changed the subject.

We talked for a few more minutes while I moved around the house and started to heat up some lunch. I even talked to Vicky before they had to leave for brunch with her parents. I found out that I had until at least six before my mother would arrive, leaving me six hours to get my head together. I knew exactly where to go for some peace and quiet. I got in the truck and hoped that I wouldn't get lost trying to find the right spot. I briefly thought about calling Edward, knowing that he'd know exactly what I was talking about, but thought better of that. If I couldn't find Charlie's favorite fishing spot then I didn't find it.

I stopped at the gas station for a soda and junk food on my way to the highway. It's been years since I've been here for Charlie to drag me along on his fishing trips. At least he never cared if I was reading all day. I think he was just happy that I kept myself entertained and didn't bug him. I actually liked it when we'd come here. It was relaxing and peaceful here unless he brought Billy and Jacob with us. Jacob never left me alone. I did get in trouble for pushing him in the lake once. I gladly took the punishment for that one.

It took about an hour of driving in circles before I finally found the right place. I pulled the truck off the road and looked around at the river. I got out of the truck and walked to the river bank before I sat down on the picnic table that I remember Charlie putting out here when I was eight. I sat there for a long time just taking in the serenity of the place before I went back to the truck and got out my bags. I pulled out my laptop and opened the file that held my manuscript and sat there staring at the computer.

My mind kept wandering to Charlie and I wondered if everyone was right. They kept telling me that I was being ridiculous. That Charlie loved me and wanted to be a part of my life. But I just couldn't believe them because they weren't there all the times that he ignored me or got mad at me for talking during a game. I finally let myself go and cried.

I shut the computer again and sighed. I locked it in the truck and started to walk around the river bank and into the woods. I didn't want to go too far into the woods and end up getting lost since I didn't know what I was doing. But I wandered in a bit under the cover of the trees where it was cool. It was getting warm out and I considered wading into the river but was too scared of the fish I knew were in there. Do fish bite? I thought they did but I wasn't sure. I knew that piranhas and sharks did. I wasn't in the mood to find out by experiment if I was right or not.

As I wandered around I thought of the boat that was parked next to the garage at Charlie's house. I was going to have to start thinking about what I was going to do with it. Charlie didn't have a will so it would be up to me to make those decisions. I had no clue where to start. I kept wandering around the woods and the river bank until I just couldn't take the heat anymore and packed up the truck and left again.

I returned to Charlie's and turned on a movie. I didn't mean to fall asleep but I must have because I was woken to someone shaking my shoulder, "Bella! Bella, sweetheart, it's time to wake up." My eyes fluttered open to see my mother standing over me. "You really should lock the door. You don't want some weirdo walking in off the streets."

"Like you?" I said with a smile as I sat up.

"Exactly. I take it from your lack of surprise that you were warned that I was on my way? Which one called you, Phil or Jamie?"

"Jamie." She nodded.

"That means my husband must have called him. I didn't see your car outside when I pulled up. Did it break down?"

"No. I was in an accident the second I came into town." I told her about the accident and the truck that Charlie had bought me. She had no clue he had done that but said it sounded like something that Charlie would do.

"It feels so strange to be in this house after so many years," she mused, wandering around the living room. "Do you want to go to the diner for dinner or are you tired of eating there yet?"

After a dinner of more of the food that the locals dropped off we decided to go for a walk. I pointed out Emmett and Rose's house which was dark. She remembered Carlisle and Esme from her high school days. They weren't exactly best friends as they were a couple years ahead of Charlie and Renee, but it was a small town and everyone knows everyone in a small town.

We made it all the down to main street and we were walking past Edward's bookstore when I peeked in the window and saw him sitting on the counter. The look on his face stopped me in my tracks. He looked so despondent and lost that it broke my heart.

Renee turned when she noticed that I was no longer following her and came back to look in the window. "You know him?"

"That's Edward Cullen."

"I see. He looks like he could really use a friend right now. I'll see you at Charlie's later." She hugged me and started walking back the way we came, leaving me standing there watching Edward and wondering if he'd let me in if I knocked.

A/N:

I want to say that I am sorry for not updating last week. I think I've finally gotten used to getting up at 5:30 in the morning to take my son across town to school. I went from a five minute commute to an hour long one. Chapter 7 is with Sweetpea123, my most amazing beta, so next week should be a go for updating. I want to thank Sweetpea for all that she does to help me clean up these chapters. I'm horrible with grammar.

I also want to say thank you to the person(s) that nominated this story at tehlemonadestand. I am honored that you thought my story was good enough to be nominated. On that thought, I want to say welcome to all the new readers that have joined us due to that nomination. You guy the awesomest!

Reviews will get teasers unless you tell me that you don't want one! See you next weekend!