*EPOV*

Back in Forks, Bella slept soundly in my arms in our bed. She wanted to see Charlie one last time before we packed up and moved to New Hampshire to begin our college adventure at Dartmouth.

But since Charlie wasn't comfortable with me staying over, and because Bella wouldn't stay anywhere without her husband (that got a big grin out of me), she told a very huffy Charlie that she'd stay with me at my house and come see him in the morning.

Bella hadn't said one word about wanting to see Jacob when we got back into town. I wouldn't stop her if she felt the need to go to La Push, but I wasn't going to extend an invitation, either.

I was trying very hard not to feel bad about what had transpired that last day on the island.

The things I'd said to her…I had given Bella grief before about not holding me accountable for my mistakes, but I was every bit as guilty as she was in that regard.

As painful as it had been to be that candid with her, I'm glad she ripped the proverbial band-aid off so that old festering wound could finally heal.

She had been right, of course. I hadn't known how badly I'd needed to hear her atone for the things she'd done until I heard the words from her lips.

I had tried to apologize to Bella for leaving her so many times and was left utterly frustrated when she dismissed what had happened as water under the bridge when I knew she was still hurting.

Inadvertently, I had done the same exact thing to her by refusing to hold her accountable for her hurtful transgressions with her...canine companion.

Christ. And then I'd gone full caveman on her, I groaned to myself, mortified. After I'd gotten her back to the house, we'd showered together, and to her great irritation, I checked every inch of her for bruises and apologized if I'd scared her.

To my great surprise, she'd blushed and told me she'd been rather turned on by my boorish behavior.

Would she ever stop surprising me? Regardless, I should have been more tender with her, instead of ripping her clothes off and ravishing her like a brute.

I'd told her once before that she didn't have to choose. That she could have any part of me she wanted or none at all if that was better.

She chose me. She married me. And she deserved to know that I had no intentions of sharing my wife with anybody, even if my delivery left something to be desired.

Mind if I come in? Esme's thoughts broke into my reverie from outside the door.

"You're always welcome, Esme," I said pleasantly in a voice too quiet to wake Bella.

Esme closed the door behind her and stepped soundlessly into my, er, our room. "I'm sorry for the intrusion," she smiled apologetically, pulling up a chair next to the bed and sitting down.

"I know you will be busy with Charlie tomorrow, and I just wanted to catch up with you before things get hectic with the move back east.

"Sooo? How was your trip? We missed you two around here!" Esme said warmly, squeezing my hand that rested on top of the comforter.

"We had a marvelous time! It was just like you said it'd be. I didn't think it was possible for your garden to be even more stunning in person than it is in your memories. I hope you and Carlisle can make it back there soon."

Esme considered that for a moment. "Our 85th anniversary is coming up...Who knows? Maybe we will!" I made a mental note to buy them airline tickets as a gift.

"Thank you again, Esme, for letting us borrow your island. It was the best first honeymoon either of us could have ever asked for," I chuckled. "I'm sure Bella would love to tell you all about it when she wakes up.

"Oh...and full disclosure," I muttered, "you are the proud new owner of two new four-poster beds. Alice assured me you'll approve of the replacements," I said ruefully, looking down at my lap.

"Beds are replaceable. She isn't," Esme nodded to Bella. "I'm just so proud and thrilled for you, my boy. You deserve every bit of the happiness I see on your face. It's been such a long time coming!" She gushed, and then Esme's gaze fell upon Bella's peacefully sleeping face.

I could just kiss that girl. Her thoughts were saturated with gratitude and satisfaction.

I smiled and nodded, "I know just what you mean."

"Well, I'll get out of your hair. I just wanted to stop in and say welcome back. Renovations at the new house are going well. Everything should be move-in ready by the time we get into town."

"Thanks for stopping by Esme. And just...for everything. This family doesn't work without you," I said honestly.

"This family doesn't work without any one of us. And don't you forget it!" Esme said with put-on sternness and swatted me on the leg before heading for the door.

A new home and a new daughter. What a special time this will be for all of us. Esme's thoughts were hopeful as she drifted out the door.

Alone again with my sleeping wife, I reached for the Dartmouth College course catalog on my nightstand and perused the offerings.

On the plane ride home, for one of the brief windows of time when she'd actually been awake, I'd asked Bella how she wanted to go about registering for courses.

Biting her lip in that way she did before she was about to deliver bad news, she told me that she really wanted to be able to fully immerse herself into her coursework, and she didn't think she'd be able to do that if I attended classes with her.

I carefully contained my disappointment and told her I completely understood. And I did.

I chuckled in spite of myself. This would be the first time I chose my major based on the proximity to another department. Somewhere in the back of my mind Emmett was laughing at me and cracking an imaginary whip.

I looked at the campus map. The Department of English and Creative Writing was housed right in the middle of the campus at Sanborn House.

What luck! I tapped my finger on the page. Sanborn house was just a short walk across The Green to the Hopkins Center for the Arts. Music Composition classes for me then. Excellent.

I imagined bumping into her at the coffee cart and buying her one of her favorite chocolate croissants and walking her to her next lecture, arm in arm. And she'd talk animatedly about Virginia Woolfe or Charlotte Bronte, while getting bits of powdered sugar on her chin, and then I'd…

Just then a voice in my head cleared its throat.

Is this, um, a bad time?

I clenched my eyes shut. Busted fantasizing about my wife. Awkwardsville. "What's up Jazz?"

He was too much of a southern gentleman to enter while Bella was in her evening attire, even just her old sweats-to my favorite sister's chagrin. So he said, or rather thought his piece through the wall.

Welcome back, man! I couldn't believe the energy coming from this side of the house was yours. I had to come see for myself. I could hear Jasper laughing quietly in the hallway. It's amazing what a good roll in the sack will do for one's disposition!

I rolled my eyes and shook my head, but laughed in spite of myself. That would not be the last of the barbs about my long-standing virginity. Not by a long shot.

"Did you need something, Jasper, or are you just here to annoy?" I quipped.

Just to inform you that Isabella Cullen is officially recognized by the United States government and that she's been successfully added to the family accounts. Are you going to tell her that she woke up a billionaire, or should I? He snickered.

I sighed, thinking of Bella's future (bad) reaction to that particular detail. "Good night, Jasper," I said with a slight edge.

Good to have you back! Jasper sauntered off, singing "Like a Virgin" under his breath as he walked away.

Bella and I moving into our own place, albeit on the same property, couldn't happen fast enough!

I sighed contentedly. Our own place! No curfews, no windows to jump through, no fathers to avoid. No wolves. And by some miracle, no carefully enforced intimacy boundaries to abide by either. Well...not many.

It was more than I could have ever hoped for the first months of our life together as a married couple, particularly while Bella was still human.

Bella's face popped into Jasper's head just then. I wasn't trying to hear him, but I was particularly sensitive to thoughts involving Bella.

I could kiss that girl, thought Jasper from his and Alice's room a floor down.

He meant it in a very brotherly way. Jasper was elated about the sunnier emotional climate in the house that he had correctly attributed directly to Bella..

"Bella has that effect on people," I muttered wryly.

*BPOV*

"Hi, Dad!" I said as the door swung open. Someone was excited to see me. We hadn't even made it all the way up the front walk yet.

"Hiya Bells!... Edward," he acknowledged with a nod over my shoulder as he hugged me tightly. I was impressed. His tone could have been mistaken for friendly.

"Nice to see you, Charlie," Edward smiled, as always impeccably polite.

"You two don't look very tan for a couple of kids who spent the last few weeks on a beach in Brazil. What'd you do? Stay inside the whole time?"

He seemed to think about what he'd just said and grimaced, turning a concerning shade of puce.

"Well, come on in. You don't need an invitation." Charlie stood aside letting us pass through the door.

"Whatcha got there, Edward? " Charlie gestured to the bags of groceries in Edward's arms.

"Bella wanted to cook a few of your favorites to stock your freezer with, so we stopped at the store," Edward replied before disappearing into the kitchen to put the groceries away.

"Bella.." Charlie's voice was disapproving. "I only get to see you for this one day before you take off across the country for school. As much as I appreciate it, you shouldn't be cooking for me! I can take care of myself."

"Getting married didn't suddenly make me into some great conversationalist, dad. Besides, isn't there a game on? Go relax, it'll be just like old times!" I encouraged. He looked uncertain.

"Go on! Grandma Swan's meatloaf isn't going to make itself," I gave him a little nudge toward the living room where a baseball game was already blaring on the television. "We can catch up over lunch," I promised.

He didn't seem to need any more convincing. "You're the best, kid!" He clapped me on the shoulder and scuttled off to the living room with hardly another word.

"How can I help? Edward asked eagerly.

"You want to help me cook?" I asked. That was new. Whenever I cooked for Charlie and me, he usually just kept me company in the kitchen.

"Sure! I rather enjoyed cooking for you on the island. I bet it would be even more fun to cook with you," Edward said, reaching over my head to easily retrieve a heavy cast iron dutch oven from a high shelf before I could concuss myself.

I tossed my non-crying husband an onion. "½ inch dice?"

"Yes ma'am," he saluted with a chef's knife in his hand.

And we worked like that for much of the morning, side by side, talking and laughing and making food for Charlie.

With Edward slicing, dicing, and chopping at an inhuman rate, we made great time assembling dishes of Meatloaf, Chicken Pot Pie, Spaghetti sauce, and a big pot of beef stew ladled into smaller portions for the freezer.

I was somewhat surprised to see the fridge so well-stocked. Then I saw the bag of fish fry labeled with Sue Clearwater's handwriting, and a warm feeling settled over me. Charlie was going to be ok.

"Bella?" Edward asked, loading the dishwasher.

"Hmm?" I replied, still distracted by thoughts of Charlie and Sue.

"What's 'good cheese'?"

"So Bells," Charlie began, swallowing a bite of his meatloaf sandwich, "Any plans to go to La Push while you're here? I know Jake would love to see you."

Edward, who had been pushing a small amount of food around his plate, froze where he sat, but he didn't look at me.

"No, Dad. I don't think that would be a very good idea," I answered quietly. The tension left Edward's rigid pose as if someone had let the air out of him.

"Bella," Charlie's voice was full of reproach, "Jake's been a good friend-"

"Dad," I gritted my teeth, "The last time I saw Jake he was being kicked out of our wedding reception because he lost it and put his hands on me. At my own wedding. So no, I don't have anything to say to Jake."

Edward resumed pushing food around his plate, taking occasional bites and spitting it into a napkin folded over his lap when Charlie's head was turned.

Charlie's mouth gaped open but no words came out. "I-I didn't know. I didn't see him there…" he floundered for words.

All of that was beside the point and not the reason why I wasn't going to La Push, but it was a good enough reason to get Charlie off my back. What could he say?

After what had transpired between Edward and me on the island, I was resolved to never prioritize anybody else's feelings above Edward's ever again. Least of all Jacob Black's.

I would never be the reason for the hurt in Edward's eyes if I could help it, and I could definitely help this.

Obviously, that wasn't how I wanted to end things with Jake. Of course, I thought he deserved better from me, and I would carry that guilt around with me for the rest of my existence.

But there was nothing to be gained from such a meeting except more hurt for the two people I cared most about, and I wouldn't do that to them again, no matter how much I selfishly wanted to.

Then there was the wolf part to consider. I was deeply ashamed of the hypocrisy Edward had so politely pointed out.

How could I reasonably ask him to sit by and watch my future disappear when the idea of Edward's future being in question had been utterly intolerable to me for any amount of time? I couldn't.

So it was settled. Maybe I'd write him a letter, tell him I was sorry that things had to end the way they did. Sorry that we could never get the friendship thing right. But that was the best I could do for Jake, and I was going to have to live with that.

I could see Charlie grappling with being my dad, being Billy's friend, and being a cop all at the same time.

"Do you want to press charges, Bella?" Charlie wiped his mouth with a napkin.

"No, Dad. I just want to get on the plane tomorrow and fly away and get on with my life. My life with Edward." I squeezed his hand under the table. "It didn't work out with Jake...Sometimes things just don't work out."

It was a cheap shot and I knew it; He had once said the very same thing about my mom. But I needed an exit to this conversation.

"I'm real sorry to hear that, kiddo," Charlie stood up from the table, comfortingly squeezing my shoulder. Then he turned to put his plate in the sink.

"How are things going with Sue?" I asked, changing the subject. Let's see how he liked being on the hot seat.

"Good! Good, real good." Charlie said, returning to his seat."I'm taking Seth fishing next weekend. Sue worries he needs a father figure, and it's the least I could do for Harry's boy. Leah doesn't want anything to do with me, but Sue says not to take it personally because she acts that way with everyone…"

"She does," Edward and I said at the same time, then laughed. This confirmation seemed to mollify Charlie.

"That's really great, Dad. Seth is an amazing kid. I'm really going to miss him!"

"Me too, surprisingly," Edward added.

"Why surprisingly?" Charlie raised an eyebrow. I choked on my coke.

"The Quileutes don't like us much, that's all. I wish I knew why. " Edward shrugged, his eyes widened guilelessly.

Charlie nodded in understanding. "Bunch of superstitious baloney is what it is. This town is lucky to have your father heading up the hospital. Or we were, anyway." Charlie amended with a frown, in acknowledgment that Carlisle had tendered his resignation at the hospital so that he and Esme could move closer to their kids attending university back east.

"Thank you! Carlisle has always thought that Forks is very lucky to have you, too." That brought on a full-on blush from Charlie.

As the conversation came to a lull, out of nowhere, Charlie slapped the table making me jump. "Well, this place isn't going to be the same without you, kid. I'm so damn proud of you, but I've been dreading this day for a long time," Charlie's voice wavered.

"Aww, Dad, stop, you're gonna make me cry," but it was too late for that.

He pulled me in for a hug and I pressed the side of my face into his chest. I felt the wiry hairs of his mustache catch in my hair when he kissed my head. I breathed him in, trying to remember every detail of this moment. I didn't know how many more Charlie hugs I'd get.

"Love you, Bells. You always have a home here, no matter how grown-up you get."

I heard Edward's breath catch in his throat. I could imagine the look he'd have on his face; it was probably the same one I wore on mine.

"Love you too, Dad. Forever."

*A/N*

For anybody who thought the lemon in the last chapter was a bit out of left field, I just had to give it to him. Poor, serial-monogamist Edward offered to cuckold himself twice for Bella. The first time in Eclipse: "You don't have to choose, Bella, have any part of me or none at all if that's better. Just be happy."

And then again in BD when he offers up Jake's stud's services so she can have puppies (PUPPIES!) just to keep her from killing herself with the pregnancy. Ah! I can't EVEN with this kid. So that was my gift to him, lol, and it's out of my system now.

See you next time in New Hampshire, lovelies! Thanks for taking the time to read and review!