Hey, y'all!

I know it's been soooo long since I have updated and I'm so sorry. I've been more lazy and busy than I thought I would be this summer. Also, just not in the mood to write and I don't know why.

I want to say I will be able to write more soon but Freshman year starts in less than two weeks so I don't know what will happen. And if I try out for the musical and get in then I will have even less time. So please be patient! Also, It's my Freshman year! I'm so excited!

This is the longest chapter I have ever written and I'm so proud of it! It's almost 4,000 words! I also noticed a lot of mistakes when I was editing this chapter from the last two chapters. I'm sorry for how many there were lol.

Sorry, I really don't know what else to say since I haven't been on here in a while. So, I'm going to respond to comments...

helenareject- I'm so happy you commented! I'm glad you love this and I'm glad it's believable! I hope you love this chapter, too.

Whynotalicorn ll- I'm glad you think I showed Bella's personality well. I just thought that no one ever thinks about if Bella was mad. If it were actually Bell then she would be pissed at Edward for leaving her for no 'real' reason. Hope you like this chapter!

twilightfanjm- I'm glad you loved it. It's so cool when someone says you love their fanfiction. You probably get it!

- Happy you liked it. I'm sorry I didn't update sooner.

Anyway, hope you like/love this chapter!

Content Warning: Slight Sensitive Topic discussion.

Enjoy!


I woke up to cold, strong, arms wrapped around me. I've missed waking up like this so much. Also, I didn't have any nightmares last night! This is the first time in a while I haven't had one.

Edward coming home is just what I needed. Since he left, my life has been very traumatic and stressful. First, Edward leaves and I chase after him in the woods; like I would be able to catch him. Then, I get found by Sam, who I now know to be one of Jacob's friends.

Second, I kept having nightmares of him leaving in the woods. He would always say the same thing. He would say I'm no good for him. And it didn't help that people at school kept whispering behind my back. They kept saying that the reason Edward and his family left is that I am obsessed. Apparently, they don't want me around Edward.

I can't believe people would say that! Edward and his family aren't that low.

Lastly, since I haven't been very social with my friends, Charlie told mom. Dad tried getting me to go live with mom. He kept telling me that Edward wasn't coming back. Which, at the time I thought that and it hurt to think that.

I noticed a wet stream going down my cheek. Was I crying? I must be…

Crap! I tried to wipe my tears away before he noticed but it seems he already had.

"Bella? Love, why are you crying?" Edward asked. He rolled me over onto my back, sat up, and looked down at me. All I could do was stare up at him. "Bella, please answer me."

"I" I paused not wanting to continue. Edward gave me a pointed look, he always hated when I cried and he didn't know why. " Fine! I was thinking about everything that happened after you left."

The look on his face was full of regret as he told me to continue. "I followed you into the woods when you left and I just kept going. Eventually, Sam Uley found me and brought me back to Charlie. I had collapsed and fallen asleep. I woke up carrying me and Charlie putting me to bed." I started staring down at my hands. Edward laid back down on his side and pulled me to his chest, hugging me.

I continued, getting the confidence I needed from Edward's loving embrace. "Then… then that's when the nightmares started. They are almost always about you leaving me, but, recently they have been about you not being there to protect me. Also, everyone at school keeps saying things behind my back. They always say that you left because I was too clingy and didn't want me anymore. And it hurt so much because at the time I knew the second part was true."

I put my head on my hands that were on his chest and looked up at him. He started rubbing my back, coaching me through the conversation. I smiled up at him and continued.

"About a week ago, dad told me I was going to go to Jacksonville to live with my mother. I haven't been very talkative these past two months. Charlie thought a change in scenery would help. I told him, no, saying I was eighteen and didn't need to go. He told me you weren't coming back but I still had some hope. I told him no again so he changed the subject and didn't say anything else about it. Now, here I am, talking to you which I never thought would happen again," I finished.

I watched as Edward tried to avoid looking at me. I grabbed his chin, trying to move his face to look at me and he let me. He still wouldn't look me in the eye. "Edward, baby, look at me, please." He looked at me and pulled me to him tighter.

"I'm sorry Bella, I'm so sorry I left." He told me as he buried his face into my neck. I felt Edward shaking; was he crying? He was, he was crying tearless sobs.

This has never happened before. He has never shown this type of emotion to me before. Hell, he's never even let me hold him like this, and I loved it. It showed me that he trusted me enough to be 'weak' around me.

He needs to be like this. He needs to let his emotions go. He needs to know that I won't judge him if he has to cry. I know he doesn't like letting his guard down around me but he has to know he won't hurt me. He has to learn to trust himself more.

"It's okay Edward, I forgive you now that I know why you left," I told him. He looked up at me and froze.

"Charlie," he said. With that, he was out the window before I could even blink. I looked away from the window as my door opened and Charlie walked in.

"Bells, are you okay? You never sleep this late unless you're sick." Charlie stated worriedly.

I shook my head. "Dad, I'm fine. I'm just tired." I told him hoping he'd drop the matter.

"Okay, just come downstairs soon. I want to talk to you before I leave to go fishing at two." Charlie told me as he walked out of the room.

As soon as Charlie left the room, I felt a gust of wind and the bed dip. I smiled and turned to see my greek god sitting next to me. I pulled him into a hug and he hugged me back.

"I'm sorry, Bella," Edward said. What in the world is he sorry for? I told him I forgive him for leaving me.

"What are you sorry for?"

"I'm sorry for acting like that. You shouldn't have to see that. I'm supposed to be strong for you," he explained. I just looked at him shocked; Is he apologizing for being sad and showing his emotions? He's got to be kidding me!

"Really?! You're apologizing for crying?!" I whisper-yelled. He looked down at his hands and nodded. "I can't believe that! Edward, I want you to be like that with me. It lets me know you trust me enough to be like that around me. Sometimes, and I know it's not something you are used to, you need to let loose. You need to trust yourself enough to do that as you did a few minutes ago."

"You didn't hurt me did you?" I asked and he shook his head. "Then, you will be okay if you let go when you need to. I will be okay so, please, just trust yourself!" I begged. Edward nodded and kissed the top of my head as he pulled me to him.

"Thank you, Bella, I guess I needed to hear that. I feel better now," Edward stated. I hugged him as tight as I could and kissed his cheek.

After a couple of minutes, I let go of Edward and got off the bed. I almost wanted to laugh at the look of disappointment that went over his face.

"I just have to get ready and take a shower. Then, I'm going to go spend some time with dad. Once he leaves we can spend the rest of the day together." Edward nodded as I got my clothes for the day and left to go take a shower.


I got out of the shower at 10:20, didn't think I would be in the shower that long. I changed into sweat pants and a dark blue cotton shirt. This was perfect for a lazy Saturday.

I walked back into my room and saw Edward sitting in my rocking chair. I smiled at him as I went over to my hairbrush and quickly brushed my hair. When I was done I walked over to Edward and he pulled me into his lap. I giggled as he buried his face into my hair, inhaling deeply.

After a couple of minutes, I sighed and pulled away. "Edward, I really have to go downstairs. Believe me, I don't want to leave you either but after Charlie leaves we have the rest of the day, Okay?" I asked. He nodded as I got up, gave him one last kiss, and left the room to go downstairs.


"Good morning, dad!" I said happily as I walked into the kitchen. Dad was sitting at the table drinking his coffee and reading the newspaper. He does the exact same thing every morning.

"Morni'n Bells. You're very chipper this morning, what happened?" Charlie asked me. What do I say? At some point, I'm going to have to tell him about Edward, just not right now.

"I don't know, dad. I just have a feeling that today is going to be a great day. Don't ask me why because I just don't know," I smiled at him. He seemed to like that answer because he didn't say anything else.

I walked over to the cabinet and grabbed a bowl and cereal. Then, I got the milk out of the fridge and made myself a bowl of cereal. It looks like dad already made himself eggs and bacon, so I sat down to eat my breakfast.

When I was almost done with my breakfast, Charlie started up the conversation again. "Did you have any nightmares last night? I didn't hear you at all," Charlie observed.

What do I say to that? "I did have a really bad one but I guess I realized it wasn't going to happen. It didn't really affect me that much," I told him. Dad nodded, accepting my answer. He has been so worried because I would wake him up every night, screaming from a nightmare.

"I'm just… very happy to see you happy. You haven't been like this since… he left," he stated and I sighed.

"Dad, I'm so sorry for how I've been acting. I know I've worried you and I can't tell you how bad I feel, now that I realized it." I explained to him. Dad pulled me into a hug, which is weird because he never shows much emotion.

"Bells, it's okay. I was the same way when your mom left and took you with her. I don't blame you, I blame Edward who did this to you. He left you in the woods defenseless and alone."

I pulled away from the hug. "Dad! Please listen to me when I tell you that Edward didn't leave me in the woods! I followed him into them after he left. I know you hate him for what he did to me, but please dad, it wasn't his fault they left!" I told him. At least it wasn't all a lie. "Carlisle got a really good job offer. Edward didn't have a choice."

"But Bella! You've been a wreck since they left…"

"Yeah dad, you were, too. When mom left you were the same way. You can't say Edward is a terrible person because you and mom never got back together after she left!"

"Bella, Edward's not coming back," He said in a softer tone.

"He still might, dad," I started looking down. "And I will take him back if he does and convinces me he won't leave again."

Charlie gave me a sad look before smiling and nodding. "You are so stubborn. If he ever comes back then he needs to convince me that he will do better by you. He was great before and I hate to admit that but he needs to do more to make it up to you."

"Dad, he has always been amazing. Also, He doesn't have to do anything to make it up to me other than say he loves me and won't leave me again. You just don't like him because he is dating your daughter," I laughed. Charlie laughed with me and pulled me into a hug.

"You are probably right; about both things. I just love you so much and don't want you to get hurt again. You're all I have and I don't want some boy telling you he loves you and you getting your hopes up that things will last. I was a teenage boy once and I know how they think. I don't want to lose you to depression again."

"I know dad and I love you for it. And I'll be okay, the possibility is very small." I said as I hugged him back. Even though I know it's not a small possibility, dad doesn't need to know that. Just then we heard a knock on the door. We pulled away from our hug and gave each other a confused look. Dad told me he was going to go see who it was.

I sat in the kitchen waiting for Charlie to open the door. Who would come here now? If it's Billy then he was really early. Other than that I don't know who it could be. It couldn't be Edward, could it?

Then, I heard dad open the door…

"What are you doing here?" Dad asked, shocked. I wonder who it is?

"Hello, Chief Swan. I'm sorry to drop by unannounced but I need to talk to you and Bella." I heard a woman's voice say. It sounded familiar but I just couldn't place it. Wait! Is it Esme!? I waited to have it proven.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Cullen but Bella doesn't want to talk to you," Charlie told her. Esme really is here! I ran to the door, anxious to see my second mother outside the door.

"Esme!" I exclaimed as I ran into her open arms. I cried into the side of her neck and she rubbed my back in a soothing motion. I've missed her motherly embrace.

I've missed her so much. Edward didn't tell me anyone else was with him. She had always acted like the mom I'd never had. Since she and the rest of the Cullen's have been gone, I realized why they see her as their real mother. She would do anything for her children and that always included me.

"Esme, I've missed you so much!" I told her. I pulled away and looked at her through tear-filled eyes. She smiled a reassuring smile.

"I missed you, too, Bella. I'm so sorry my family and I had to leave you." She said with tears in her eyes that would never fall. She looked from me to Charlie and spoke, "Please just let me talk to you and I'll explain everything."

Charlie nodded reluctantly and showed Esme into the house, closing the door behind her. Esme and I walked with her arm wrapped around me to the living room. We sat on the couch while dad sat in his reclining chair.

We all sat there in an awkward silence staring at the floor. Esme still had an arm wrapped around my waist. I looked up at her and she smiled down at me. She looked away from me and to a fidgeting Charlie.

"I would like to start by saying, again, how sorry I am that my family and I left the way we did," Esme started. "And Charlie, please know I don't condone the way my son told Bella we were leaving. He knows better."

"I will tell you though that Edward was the biggest reason why we left. He thought that himself being around Bella was getting her hurt. He thought that if we left then Bella wouldn't be getting hurt anymore. Edward didn't realize that by us leaving would hurt the both of you a lot more than being together."

"He wanted you to have a normal life, Bella. He wants you to be able to have children and he is convinced that since he can't give you that, you can't have a normal life," I cut her off.

"But I told him when he told me that I don't want children!" I exclaimed, trying to act surprised while I'm still a little angry Edward thinks that.

"Bella, he just won't listen. He thinks you will at some point change your mind and want children." I shook my head at this. Edward is way too stubborn sometimes.

"Well, he needs to get over that because I don't want children if they aren't his. And I don't want them anyway."

"Well Bella, you need to talk to him about that. Actually, he wants to talk and he will be at your favorite restaurant tonight at 6 if you want to. He regrets what he did to you and wants to make things right," Esme told me.

"Wait, he wants to talk after what he did to Bella! That is not happening. She has been like a zombie for the past two months and it's all because of that boy!" Charlie yelled.

"Dad! We talked about this this morning!" I yelled back. Charlie looked down ashamed and nodded. I was going to see my love whether he liked it or not. I've also already seen him but Charlie doesn't need to know that. Esme quickly changed the subject.

"I also need to tell you the other reason why we left and why we are back," Charlie nodded so Esme continued. "We left because Carlisle got a great job offer in California at a major hospital. He didn't want to pass up the job offer so we had to leave so soon."

"We came back because I honestly didn't like the big city. I like places like Forks. It was a good thing I didn't like it there because Carlisle doesn't like the job. The other doctors just liked to brag and compete about how much money they have. We know we are very… well taken care of and fortunate. But, we don't like to show it off. Carlisle didn't want to be around people like that so we came back. He missed his job here anyway," Esme finished.

"So, are you moving back for good?" Charlie asked. Esme nodded and smiled at me as I smiled at her. "Esme, if you don't mind me asking, why can't Edward have kids?"

I looked down at this as the smile left my face. I didn't know what she was going to say but I needed to look sad. Maybe I am a little sad.

"Well, when he was very young right before we got him, he had a very bad case of influenza. Carlisle was a volunteer nurse that helped with Edward's condition. Eventually, Edward's parents died from the flu and I would visit Edward to help him through it. That is actually how Carlisle and I got together, we would spend so much time together at school and the hospital. Anyway, it got so bad for him that the part of him that would let him reproduce was infected."

"He got over the illness and after Carlisle and I got married we found Edward again. Since I couldn't have children, Carlisle and I wanted to adopt. We went to an orphanage and it happened to be the same one Edward was at. So we adopted him and he was so happy because it was us and not a stranger. We knew what he went through and we knew how to help him. So, a few years ago when we thought he was old enough to understand, we told him he couldn't have children."

"He was devastated because he loves kids and always wanted them, even when he was younger. He still struggles with it but he is getting better," Esme finished. Does Edward still want kids? Now I really am sad because he can never have that. There is always adoption but he can't have them of his own.

"Wow, poor kid. Now I really feel bad for the way I've treated and talked about him," Charlie stated, breaking me out of my thoughts.

"Charlie, it's okay. You didn't know," Esme assured him.

"Bella, did you know all this?" Charlie asked and I nodded. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I guess I was just sad for him and it came as a shock. I didn't want to talk about it because it made me sad with all the things he went through," I explained as Charlie nodded.

The three of us sat and talked for a couple more minutes before Esme said she had to leave. I walked her out to her car hand in hand. She pulled me into a hug.

"Is he coming back before tonight?" I asked.

"Yes, he will be back as soon as Charlie leaves." She told me. And with that, she pulled out of the hug, kissed my cheek, got in her car, and drove off.

I walked back into the house and walked up to my room with a big smile on my face. I was so excited for tonight! The Cullen's are back and they are staying!


An hour later, Charlie left to go to La Push. Not even one minute later, I heard the doorbell ring. It was none other than my sexy, bronze-haired vampire.

Yep! Today was going to be a great day!


Hey! Did you like it, hate it? Please tell me, please comment.

What did you think of Esme coming to talk to Bella and Charlie? I was going to have Alice come in and interrupt at the last minute but I think things ended well the way they did.

I also would want Charlie to be a lot nicer about Edward. I want him to accept Edward so that is how I wrote it.

Again, please comment!

Byeee

-Bri