Okay, so what if Edward never provoked the Volturi? Bella never went to Italy to save him? In fact, he came back of his own accord after Jacob told him that Charlie was attending a funeral. Upon seeing that Bella was safe and well, it became clear that some ground rules needed to be set and that communication was a must, but more than that, what if Bella wasn't certain of her feelings upon his return?

Edward and the rest of his family had been back for a couple of months now, but looking across the room, Bella still couldn't believe that he was really back. Even as he slipped into her bed beside her, she had to reach out and touch his cool skin to be sure. "I'm not going anywhere." He voice with a gentle smile. Why were those words harder to hear now?

Sighing, Bella nodded and tried to settle. Since he'd been back, things had pretty much just fallen back into how they were. They all went to school together, she and Edward spent way too much time together, she didn't see Jacob as much. Alas, in spite of getting back everything that she had pined for, Bella was terrified. Edward had sworn to her before that he would never leave, yet he did. He left her in the middle of the freaking woods.

Instead of voicing this though, She simply closed her eyes and released the sigh that she hadn't realised she was holding.

At first, she'd wondered if she'd simply grown used to Jacob and his company, perhaps that was why she had this odd feeling deep in her chest, but no. All she'd wanted was to see him again, but when he returned home, she hadn't felt the feelings that she had promised to her slowly mending heart. When she looked at him, all she saw was the hole that he had left in her life.

All of that aside, however, she soon fell asleep. That night, in Edward's arms, she dreamed of the world. The world that she had once wanted to explore with Edward, but this time her skin held a healthy tan and kissed the sun. He had, at one point, been everything she'd ever wanted, but had that changed?

Later that week, Jacob, Bella, Quil and Embry sat in Jake's garage. While he was busy fixing things, Quil and Embry teased Bella about the stench that clung to her clothes. This, she realised, she had missed. Was it the wolves? No. It was the warmth. Not just from their skin, of course, but the warmth of not having to hide.

Perhaps Edward wasn't what was best for her after all.

It was funny how she found herself thinking that, because what shocked her was that she didn't feel a punch in the gut. She wasn't over him entirely, of course, but she didn't feel any of the same old emotions that she previously thought held her together.

The awkward moment truly came, however, when she and Esme were softly discussing colleges. Bella, without thinking, said "Well, Angela mentioned something about Sacramento. It would be nice to room with her, I think."

It was a momentary lapse. Bella simply hadn't been thinking, but it had come out. After all, Angela had said it and they had mulled over the thought that they could room together before the Cullens returned, but now they were back? Well, Edward wouldn't do well at all in Sacramento. It wasn't always sunny, of course, but it was uncomfortably bright compared to Forks with limited hunting grounds and the ever growing risk of being seen thanks to modern technology.

None of the family held it against Bella a couple of months later when she announced that she wanted to have a few more human years. The thought of being older than Edward used to sicken her, but since he'd been gone all she thought about was the inevitability of age. She had once again become comfortable in the thought that she would not remain a teen forever and she was actually excited by the freedom that was offered to her.

What surprised her the most, however, was the friendship that grew between her and Rosalie. In fact, Rose even offered to drive her and Angela to Sacramento. Naturally, the idea of a road trip was exactly what Angela wanted, so it was agreed. Once Rosalie's walls around Bella's blatant lack of respect for mortality had fallen, she was actually surprisingly fun to be around. She and Angela specifically got on well. Bella wondered briefly on the way there if Rosalie would trade her life to be human again in this time period.

It was on the way back, however, that Rose truly shocked her. "It's okay to fall out of love, Bella." Is all she uttered into the air as they drove through the night. Bella, however, simply ducked her head and said nothing. "I won't say a word. I won't even think it around him." She then promised, allowing Bella her peace.

Was that what all of this was? Had Bella fallen out of love with Edward?

This was, obviously, super duper short, but it came to me just now and I wanted to just get this first little bit out of the way. Things will begin properly in the next chapter. Bella will go to college with Angela and all will be explained. Please please please share your thoughts etc with me and take me at my word when I say my writing is usually much better than this dross when I get into a story.