Assumption Chapter 17

Explanations

BPOV:

"What do you mean you're moving to Forks? What the hell are you thinking, Isabella!" Vickie sighed from her place on the couch. Jamie hadn't been happy with my decision either, he was afraid that I was being rash and impulsive. I was tempted to just tell him that it was none of his business anymore, but I knew that he was just concerned with my safety, and neither Vickie nor I could fault him for that. Then he and I took a walk to a coffee house nearby and I told him everything that I hadn't told him on the phone about what happened in Forks. We spent hours sitting there talking and in the end he decided to support my decision, as all he ever wanted was for me to be happy. My mother, on the other hand, wasn't taking my decision to move to Washington well at all. "You have completely lost your mind! You never mentioned any inclination of moving to Washington when I left there. That's just it. I should never have left you there. You can't go live in the wilderness all alone. It isn't safe!"

I rolled my eyes, "Mom, I'm not moving to the wilderness and I won't be alone. I'll have the Cullens."

"That's it, isn't it! You're moving to be close to that bookstore guy, aren't you? I thought I taught you better than to change your life for some man. What is he giving up for you? Nothing, right? You have to make all the sacrifices? Why can't he move to Arizona or Florida for you?"

"Because he OWNS a business, mom, and it's much easier for me to relocate. I can write anywhere. And I'm not moving just for him. I won't deny that he is part of it, mom, but I can move easier than he can. But a lot of it is the town. I haven't felt that at peace in so long. I feel like I just need to be there. I wish that I had gone back there a long time ago."

"Moving there won't bring your father back, Bella. If that is what you're trying to do…" I collapsed onto the couch and Vickie wrapped her arms around me and I tuned my mother out.

"Bella?"

"Yes, Phil?"

"Did you make this decision on the spur of the moment or did you consider it for a while?"

"I thought about it for a long time before I made the final decision to move to Forks. I had already decided that I didn't want to stay in Arizona anymore, and I was actually considering a lot of other places, too."

"Then, that is that. You've never been one to make big decisions while in an emotional state. I agree with you, I wish that you had returned before Charlie died and had given yourselves a chance to repair that relationship. But that is water under the bridge. Just be happy, sweetie. No matter what it takes or where it takes you."

"Thank you, Phil. I do too. I hate that I was so wrong for so long. I wish I had listened to all of you." Phil disconnected the call right after that, saying that he'd calm my mother down before he let her near the phone again. I laughed, knowing that he'd hide every phone in the house if he had to. He'd done that before when she was upset and on a tangent. But if anyone could get through to her right now, it was Phil.

Vickie sat with me every day while I was packing and Jamie was at work. I discovered that there were still a lot of things that belonged to Jamie at my place. It felt like it was taking forever to sort through the apartment, even though it was only a matter of a few days. I wanted to get everything packed and squared away before I found a realtor to list the apartment.

I was glad that I actually knew what I had in Charlie's house so that I didn't need to drag a bunch garbage with me that I was only going to end up giving away or trashing once I got up there. I gave a lot of stuff to Jamie and Vickie and even more to the Goodwill. I was also taking my bed. I had every intention of acting out those dreams I'd had of Edward and I. That wouldn't be possible on the twin that was in my room, and there was no way that I would ever be comfortable having sex in my father's bed. No. Just no. I still shuddered at the mere thought of that. Most of the rest of my furniture was being given away once the condo sold so mostly what I was taking with me was my clothes, videos, and other personal effects.

On the third day that I was back in Arizona, I got a call from my friend Heidi wanting to get together. "Come on, Bella. We haven't heard from you in weeks!" I agreed to go, mainly to tell them that I was moving away, but I didn't think that it would faze them much. If they had missed me in the few weeks that I had been in Washington, then why didn't any of them bother to call me? Don't get me wrong, they were my friends and we cared about each other, but I was already closer to Rose and Esme than I was to them.

I arrived at the restaurant they wanted to meet at and found them already halfway through a pitcher of margaritas. I walked over to the table, sat down, and poured myself one without saying a word. It only took a few seconds to notice that Gianna was only drinking water. I looked over at her and she smiled and nodded. I was going to have to get her alone tonight and talk to her about that. She'd had several miscarriages since she'd married Demitri. If she was pregnant then Edward and I were going to have to make more trips down here than I originally thought we would.

"Come on, Bella! You have to catch up! We're already on our second pitcher and Gi can't drink because she says that she's on some stupid medication." I looked at Gi again and noticed that she was trying to stifle a laugh. I downed my drink and poured myself another one.

"So, where have you been lately, Bella? Holed up writing again?" Gi asked me, in an obvious attempt to change the subject.

"Yes and no. My father was killed on duty. I had to go to Washington and take care of the funeral and stuff."

Heidi and Jane, who were both more than plastered, threw themselves at me in an attempt to comfort me. But they were so out of it that they used a little too much force and ended up tackling me right out of my chair. I couldn't help but start laughing.

Once we were righted again they asked if I got everything settled in Washington or if I had to go back for anything. "Well, uh, I am going back soon."

"Did your dad have a house you have to sell or something, because that can take forever in this market," Jane commented.

"He, uh, did have a house but I am not selling it."

"Why not?" Heidi asked me, with her eyes narrowed. I think that she was onto me but was demanding direct confirmation.

"Because I am selling my apartment here and moving to Washington," I blurted out really fast. All three of my friends just sat there staring at me like I had grown a second head.

"What the hell is in Forks, Washington that is worth moving there?"

"Me." My head shot up and I was in absolute shock that he was actually here standing in front of me that I just couldn't stop myself from leaping from the table and throwing myself at the poor man.

EPOV:

Today was only the third day that Bella has been gone and I was already going crazy. We had talked on the phone several times a day. Rose started teasing me that the more I bugged Bella the longer it was going to take her to finish packing and come back. I knew that she was right, but it didn't mean that I liked it. But I tried to be good and switched to texting her.

Not even my work was keeping me preoccupied. Business had been slow as hell. I hadn't had a customer yet today. I sat down behind the counter and laid my head down.

"It's a good thing that you got your head out of your ass before she left. If you're this miserable after only a few days, knowing she'll be back, you'd be absolutely pathetic if she had left for good."

I sat up and found Rose standing in front of me, "So I miss her. You can't tell me that you wouldn't miss Emmett if he had to go away for an extended period of time."

"Maybe. But then again I'd get rid of half of the noise and tantrums around the house. Unless he took Bree with him….maybe I'll suggest he take her camping for a few days. I'd love to have that kind of peace and quiet…"

"Did you come here for an actual reason or are you just here to annoy me?"

"You should be nicer to me Edward, I am about to make your day."

"How? Do you have Bella tucked away in that humongous monstrosity you call a purse?"

She reached over the counter and smacked me upside the head, "It's a Vera Bradley."

"According to Emmett ,it is too expensive and there are more important things to spend money on."

"Like season tickets to the Mariners? Because he didn't have a problem dropping a shitload of money on that."

"Yeah, I remember you being pissed about that."

"Those tickets cost a hell of a lot more than my bag did with all of the accessories. Speaking of tickets, that is why I'm here." She reached into her bag and pulled out a piece of paper. "We may not be able to bring Bella to you, but Emmett and I went in with your parents to get you a plane ticket to Arizona."

"What?"

"I talked to Bella yesterday and she's almost as miserable as you are and we thought it would be nice for her to have a little company on the drive back North. Now go pack! Carlisle will be here soon to drive you to the Port Angeles airport."

"But what about the store?"

"Duh! That is why I am here. Esme and I will take care of everything while you're gone. Now GO!"

She didn't have to tell me again. I ran up the stairs and started throwing random clothes into a bag. I was done in a matter of minutes and was headed back downstairs to wait for Dad to get here.

"I don't have her address there. How am I going to find her?"

"I took her phone and copied down Jamie and Vickie's numbers before she left. Just in case. They will pick you up at the airport."

I grabbed my sister-in-law and gave her a big hug, "Thank you so much Rose, you don't know how much I appreciate this."

"I think I do," She said, looking out the window with a smile on her face. I looked up to see Emmett standing there talking with one of his deputies.

I was anxious the whole time I was traveling. I really annoyed the lady that I was sitting next to on the flight from Seattle to Phoenix. I couldn't sit still and was literally bouncing in my seat. I guess I was talking a lot too because a little over an hour into the flight she asked me to shut up and leave her alone. She actually said that to me. So I plugged myself into my Ipod and turned on some classical music in the hopes that it would calm me down a little. My hopes were futile because I just couldn't think of anything but the fact that I was going to see Bella in a matter of hours.

It wasn't until I was getting ready to get off the plane that I realized that I had no idea what this Jamie or Vickie looked like. I stepped off the plane and immediately started walking towards the baggage pickup area. I knew that they would have to be waiting for me there since they wouldn't be able to get to this side of the security checkpoint without tickets.

I saw them as soon as I crossed into the baggage. They were standing in the midst of the crowd but she was the only pregnant woman that I saw anywhere so it had to be them. The guy with her was not what I was expecting. He was tall with long blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail. I couldn't see my Bella with him at all.

Before I knew it we were in their car and on our way. Vickie volunteered to sit in the back, I tried to argue with her, but she told me she'd be happy with the extra room to spread out. And nap, as it turned out. She was asleep before we hit the interstate, which left Jamie and I alone to talk.

He seemed like a really great guy, with the exception of the whole cheating-on-Bella-with-Vickie thing. He asked a lot of questions about me and my family and Forks. He wasn't being rude about it at all, it was so nice that he still cared enough about Bella to want to make sure that she would be safe and watched out for when she moved away.

"She will always be one of my best friends, Edward. I hate that I hurt her but I couldn't help falling in love with Vickie. She's the other half of my soul," he said, looking into the review mirror at the sleeping woman in the back seat.

I was surprised when we pulled up to a restaurant instead of an apartment building. "She's in there having dinner with some friends and if I know them, and I do, they've been drinking their supper instead of eating actual food. See to it that all of them get real food at some point and into cabs. Or call Jane's twin brother, Alec. He'll help you get everyone home safely. This is where we live," he handed me a slip of paper, "I'll put your suitcase in her apartment."

"Thanks, man."

"Don't mention it. I'm just glad I don't have to deal with their drunken asses tonight," he laughed as he pulled away from the curb. I walked into the restaurant and found them immediately. The whole place was watching them. They definitely were drunk and loud.

I walked up to the table just as one of them asked what was in Forks for her. I couldn't help but announce my arrival by answering the question for Bella, "Me."

I should have expected her to try to tackle me as drunk as she was, but I didn't. I nearly fell over as she leapt at me. I probably would have if someone hadn't come up behind us and caught me.

"Alec! Felix! What are you two doing here? Having a date night?" Bella let go of me and threw herself at the two guys behind us.

"No, Jane told us you were having dinner here and we decided to come on down before my dear twin sister called me, all incoherent, begging for a ride home because she hates the smell of cabs."

Bella nodded and then took my hand and led me to the table, "Girls, this is my Edward. Isn't he gorgeous? Be jealous, bitches!" Then Bella plopped down in her chair and downed what was left of her drink and then went to reach for the pitcher for a refill. No way was that happening.

A/N:

Happy Almost Saturday! Thank you to Sweetpea123 for being an awesome beta and thank you to everyone that nominated this story over at the lemonade stand and voted for me. You guys made my week!

We should be on target for an update next Saturday (or Friday night depending on my mood) and reviews will get teasers.