Final Word Count: 1,135

Bella was finally going home after five long years. She had been married but was now divorced due to her ex-husband being a drug addict. You see, a few years ago, he had broken his leg in three places, and he soon got hooked on his medication. Bella had tried to help Edward get clean but after she gave birth to their daughter five months earlier, she knew she had to get out so Ellie wasn't brought up in that type of environment.

Ellie Angelica Stabler-Cullen was the light of her life.

Anyway, Edward wasn't a violent man by any means, but Bella knew that she and Ellie needed to get out before Edward's dealer came around. She prayed Edward would take back his life. Bella knew she had done the right thing for both herself and their daughter but that didn't mean she didn't love Edward. She and Edward had been best friends growing up and had been high school sweethearts. He deserved a good life.

Granted, Bella will always love Edward, but she knew that even if he got clean and sober, that their time together has come to an end. But Bella would never keep Ellie away from her father.

After the divorce, Bella was finally going home to New York. She has missed her family more than anything. Her mother, big brother, and his wife and children. Bella may not have been home in five years, but she did stay in contact. When she gave birth to her child, Bella had known she was going to move back home. And when the divorce was finalized, Bell had just finished getting her Master's Degree in Criminal Justice and Criminology. She was going into the Special Victims Unit as Elliot had done.

But the main reason Bella wanted to join the Squad was due to what had happened to Rosalie when she was in her early twenties. She had been gang-raped and left for dead. Sadly, Rose hadn't even made it out of surgery, but she had lived long enough to tell the police who her attackers had been. They were now serving life sentences in prison for the rest of their lives.

Anyway, Bella has just had the last of hers and Ellie's belongings shipped to their home in Queens. It was the house she had grown up in. Elliot hadn't wanted anything to do with it as it had too many bad memories attached to it. It had many bad memories for Bella also, but she had it redesigned and remodeled, so now only the exterior remained the same with a fresh coat of paint, a screened-in porch, and a garden in both the front and backyards. There was also a deck and patio. Lastly, the attic had been turned into a loft, while the basement was turned into a home entertainment room with a bedroom with three bunk bed sets.

Bella had decided to drive back home instead of flying. She hated planes, they made her nervous, and she was determined that Ellie would enjoy car rides. It took a few days to arrive in New York, but when she did, Bella couldn't wait to see Elliot and his family, so she headed to their house.

"Bella!" Kathy exclaimed smiling and hugging her when she opened the door.

"Hey, Kathy. It's great to see you," she said laughing and smiling.

"We didn't know you were coming home," Kathy said just as the kids came around the corner.

"That was the point," Bella said laughing as the kids ran toward her.

"Aunt Izzy!" they exclaimed hugging her.

"Did you bring us anything?" Dickie asked.

"I don't know. How about a new baby cousin?" she asked smiling as she turned and gently picked Ellie up from the stroller.

"How old is she?" Kathleen asked as her aunt placed Ellie into her mother's arms.

"She is five months old," Bella said as they all sat down in the living room.

"Where is Edward?" Kathy asked.

"I will tell you and Elliot when he gets home after the kids are in bed," Bella said as the kids protested but with a look from their mother and aunt, they stopped complaining.

"El should be home soon if he doesn't get a case," Kathy explained.

"He's going to hate be being there. Working in Sex Crimes," Bella said.

"Okay. But I know you. We grew up together, therefore I know that there is a reason why you want to join Special Victims. Would you like to tell me why?" Kathy asked an hour later when the kids were asleep in their beds.

"One of my best friends died on an operating table after being gang-raped. The men she named to be her attackers are now in prison but I would love to help those like her. But I will not be working there for more than a few years. While I have a degree in Criminal Justice and Criminology, I am working on a degree in Architecture. I love designing," Bella explained.

"You've always wanted to be an Architect," Kathy and Bella turned to see Elliot in the doorway.

"El! It's great to see you," Bella said wrapping her arms around him for a hug.

"Where is Edward?" Elliot asked as they all gathered in the kitchen.

"We are divorced. Don't get me wrong, I love him and a part of me always will but I couldn't take it any longer. You see, a few years ago, Edward received a serious injury and got addicted to his medication. After giving birth to Ellie, I knew I had to do what was best for both myself and our daughter so I filed for divorce. We are sharing custody but he will not be unsupervised until he gets the help he needs," Bella explained.

"I understand," Kathy said grasping Bella's hand while Elliot gave his little sister a hug. He knew the problems with addiction and he hoped that Edward receives the help he needs.

"Where are you staying?" Elliot asked as he gently picked his precious niece up.

"Our family home. I remodeled and designed the whole house. It is completely different now," Bella said smiling.

"I can't wait to see it," Kathy said smiling as she looked towards her husband knowing that he hated that house but hopefully, how that would change.

For the rest of the night, Bella caught up with her brother and sister-in-law on everything they missed over the last few years. It felt wonderful to catch up and be with her family. Kathy convinced her to stay for the night, while Elliot went out to her car and brought in Ellie's pack-in-play.

After settling down for the night, Bella's last thought was, It's nice to be home. Before drifting off to sleep.