Thank you for all the nice reviews, highlight of my day. And here's a short chapter, more of a filler type to move the story along. Hope you like it.

Homecoming Part 4

Bella's POV

"Healing is a matter of time,

but it is sometimes also a

matter of opportunity." Hippocrates.

"I'm thankful school is over for today. I lean back into the heated passenger seat of Edward's Volvo, my eyes slipping shut.

"Do you mind- can we go by the grocery store?" I ask as he starts to drive.

"Of course. Anything you want, Love." Edward replies, taking our interlaced hands and kissing the back of mine. "Why? What do you need?"

"I feel like I have a lot to make up for with Charlie and his favorite dinner is lasagna. That seems like a good place to start." I tell him. "I feel guilty for everything I've put him through recently and over the years, especially since I won't be around much longer."

How many years did I force him to come to California if he wanted to see me because I didn't want to be here? Here in Forks. Would Edward and I have had a year of more time together? Would I have gotten a chance to be a kid if I didn't spend my entire childhood taking care of Renee? Or would it make my decision to become a vampire harder if Charlie and I were closer?

"What are you thinking about?" Edward's voice breaks through the fog in my mind.

"My parents, among other things." I answer softly.

"Are you going to elaborate?"

I shake my head. "There's nothing to say."

As we lapsed into a comfortable silence I went over the ingredients I would need, and if I had enough money to get them. I didn't remember to take the money from the grocery fund Charlie usually leaves, my morning was too hectic.

And, now that I think about it. . . do I still even have a job? Fuck. There wasn't much money left in my account since the bikes. . . And since I closed my account linked to the Pacific Northwest trust.

"Do you know Mike Newton's phone number?" I ask Edward.

"Why?"

"I need to find out if I still have a job." I admit.

"Why wouldn't you?"

"I left them for over a week with no notice." I remind him.

"You don't need a job, we have enough money to support a small country." He starts. "Anything of mine is yours, Love."

"Edward-" I start to protest.

He cuts me off. "Or if you'd rather, Alice can give you some insights into the stock market."

"That's illegal."

"Actually 'seeing the future' isn't included as a clause in the final legislation."

I sigh, putting an end to our ribbing. "I-I know I don't need a job, but I want to be able to take care of myself-" I could tell he wanted to interrupt. "No. I don't ever want to be in that position again. I-" I try to make my thoughts into something coherent. "I need this, Edward." He doesn't protest further, finding the truth and need in my voice.

I take my phone out of my pocket and pull up a banking app, thankful that Forks' bank was a franchise. I grimaced at the total, it was less than I was expecting. . . And I still have to pay the Cullens back for the plane ticket to and from Italy, since it was my own stupidity that led to that fateful adventure.

"What's wrong?" He asked, noticing my reaction.

"It's nothing." I dismiss his inquiry, if I told him then he would insist on paying and it's bad enough when he buys things for me, he doesn't need to do it for Charlie, too.

"I hate when you do that."

Fine. I'll give him something. "I think I'm going to have to buy prepackaged sauce, I don't have the time," or budget required, "to make it from scratch."

We arrived then, the rain stopping enough so we could go in without an umbrella.

Edward pulls out a cart and I'm taken back by the human-ness of the gesture. I don't think I've ever pictured Edward Cullen casually grocery shopping on a Monday afternoon.

"You're a natural. Do you do this often?" I tease.

His lips quirk up. "Normally? No, but I've gone a few times. Esme usually takes care of it. Obviously, we have many mouths to feed so she has to go often, but most is donated to shelters and places like that. People who need it more than we do."

"Very thoughtful. Very human."

"We try." He winked. "Lead the way." He gestures.

I roll my eyes but head for the fresh produce. I grab one tomato and one zucchini, bagging them separately and handing them to Edward for him to add to the cart.

The pasta aisle is next. There's a sale on the name brand straight to pan lasagna noodles that's eighty cents more, but do I really need two? The eighty cents will pay for the tomato.

I can feel Edward watching me as I worry my lip. I grab the store brand and toss it in the cart. For pasta sauce, I choose Charlie's favorite since I won't be making it from scratch.

"What's next?"

"Ground beef," I reply. There aren't many choices so I go for the cheapest one.

Cheese is a dilemma, why is it so expensive? Almost half my budget is spent on cheese alone.

"What's the difference?" Edward asks after we advance past the ricotta and I am debating between two bags in my hands.

"This one is a six-cheese blend and the other is only four."

"Is this a 'less is more' situation?"

I shake my head. "No, not with lasagna. I just wish the six-cheese had this type of mozzarella."

"So why not get both?"

"Because I don't need both." I answer with a half-truth, placing the four cheese bag back in its spot.

The shopping trip doesn't take much more time. Edward carries our purchases to the car with ease and soon we're speeding towards Charlie's house.

Edward makes a great sous-chef, and it seems like only minutes til I put the lasagna into the preheated oven.

Edward sits on the old rickety dining room chair and pulls me onto his lap. He reaches for his phone and I give him a confused look, I didn't hear it ring or vibrate.

"I can hear the light switch on." He explains as he looks down at his phone, shaking his head with a smile. "Do you want to come over after school tomorrow? Alice said Esme made cookies."

I still wasn't sure where I fit in with them, I thought I had before but I was mistaken. "I don't want to put you out or bother you guys."

"That would never happen." He said to assure me. "You are always welcome with or without an invitation."

"Thanks. . . you don't know how much that means to me." I said with a smile. It was the truth.

"Though I have to warn you, everyone will be there."

"That's fine, Edward. It's their house." I tell him. "And I happen to like your family."

"Even Rosalie?" He asked with a wry smile.

"Especially Rosalie. It takes a compassionate person to choose to put up with all the rest of you all of the time. So, really, all things considered, she's doing pretty great."

"I'm offended." He acts like I hurt him.

"Just for the record, I feel sorry for your parents as well." I add with a smile, it's so easy to joke and be carefree at this moment. My smile feels natural on my face, something I didn't expect.

Was it only two weeks ago that I was so down I forgot what happiness actually was, how it feels to be contempt? I'm in too deep, I know that. . . yet I can't seem to protect myself in this open sea. The sword of Damocles hanging over both of our heads but there's no place I'd rather be.

My body felt as unsure as my mind like I was still holding on by a thread. Edward was forever tethered to me. Tethered in a possibly deeply unhealthy way.

Ever since we returned to Forks, it seemed automatic that my life was him. He held my happiness, he held my future. It's dangerous, I realize that, but there's no way for me to change that. . . And I don't know if I want to.

"I haven't seen much of Rosalie, not since the family meeting." I mention, curious.

"That's not because of you, she's mad at me."

"Why?"

"Because when I went to the Volturi, I took your chance at a human life away. A real-life, not one where you're on the run, so to speak." He sighs. "She's right. And she's right that I should have known that my leaving wouldn't guarantee your safety."

"Oh," I don't know what else to say because she's right. I can't say I disagree because even if I'm only 18 I knew just because the Cullens' sudden departure didn't guarantee the supernatural forces or just my plain bad luck went with them.

"I'm sorry, I will never be able to say it enough to counter any portion of the pain I caused you and our family. I swear I will spend every day proving I love you with all that I am, Bella." He whispered as if he was reading my mind.

"And I love you, Edward. I have from the first moment I saw you and have never stopped." My words couldn't be more true. "Well maybe not the first moment, you were kind of an ass."

"I'm gonna be fine. . . just maybe not tonight."

I could feel Charlie's eyes on me as I silently moved the food around on my plate. A sense of forbidding fell over me when Edward left right before Charlie got home. I hate the fact that it's only Monday, I have four more days of school this week before the next minor reprieve. I didn't want to talk, even if I could tell him what's wrong. We've always coexisted quietly, I didn't want to lie to him but that's just how it has to be.

"So how was school, Bells?" Charlie asked after swallowing his first bite.

I shrugged, "it's fine."

"What aren't you telling me?"

I must not have sounded convincing. I look up at him confused. "What do you mean?"

"You're upset." He noticed. I guess I'm not hiding it as well as I thought. "Is it because you're grounded?"

I shook my head quickly to reassure him. "No. That's completely justifiable, Dad. . . I-" How much can I actually tell him? I took a sip of water to delay my answer. Finally, I shrug again, my eyes on my hands where I'm picking at my thumbnail. "I just feel like I don't have control of anything in my life right now. It's nothing you did, I promise. . . It, it''s been like this for a while it just affected me more today. Don't worry about it." I try to reassure him.

"What's out of your control?" He seems genuinely interested and I regret saying anything in the first place.

I take another bite of lasagna. "I took care of everything with Renee, the bills and running the house, and stuff like that. . ." Everything I said was true but it was not at all what was bothering me. "I worry about her, and I worry about you. I'm really sorry that I left during Harry's funeral." Besides running off on Charlie, these inconsequential things don't get a passing glance in my mind. There are darker things that haunt me now.

"You can go visit Jacob if you want, I'll release the reigns a little." He offered.

Being confined here? That's fine, truly. The close proximity to the woods keeps the wolves and vampires constantly watching me concealed from the unknowing public.

Being here I wasn't creating a trail of my scent for whoever wants to kill me next to follow, saving whatever people who happened to stumble into the crosshairs.

"Maybe." I concede. Not now but maybe in the near future.

He didn't push, and he didn't hover. "I have to work late tomorrow, so I won't be home for dinner."

"Oh, okay. . . Um, Dad? Esme invited me over for dinner tomorrow, can I go? Since you won't be here."

He sighs, running his hand over his face. "Fine, if Esme will be there. I want you home by nine."

I'm thankful for his approval, though I would have gone anyways without it. Alice would have been able to make sure I wouldn't have been caught out. I've pushed him so far recently, it's a little relieving to not have to lie now. . . about some things, at least.

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