AN: I'm so sorry it's been a while again. I've been doing assignments and working and I've found it so hard to write recently.

I understand some readers' frustration with the story, because I'm feeling it too. This is a slow building story and needs a lot of background to help the story along, but I'm trying to keep it going and get to the best bits, so I appreciate everyone who is staying with this. Particularly my reviewers; serenity1006, guest, April-Showers82, Anony, sarahmicaela88, roganjalex, Liljairis, your reviews are sometimes to only thing keeping me posting so thank you so much!

Read and review please!

Chapter Thirty Three: Broken Hope.

After a surprisingly wonderful dinner with Edward, he dropped me back at the truck, and we arranged another lunch date the following weekend. I drove home with a blushing smile and a haunting confusion as to why he would want to spend time with me. I was no different than I was yesterday, yet he was taking notice of me in ways no other man had before. He was attentive and kind, his intense gaze and crooked smile making me blush as he stated his absurd notion that I was beautiful.

Shaking my head in disbelief at the state my life had become, I parked under the overhanging that served as our garage and hurried out of the rain. Even that shivers of icy raindrops leaking down my face couldn't dampen my mood. Hurrying upstairs, I showered and collapsed into a strangely fitful sleep.

It was only in the morning that I started finding the house a stranger to me. A cup was left draining on the sideboard. The lasagne I'd had defrosting for dinner yesterday had been eaten, along with several other items. A load of washing was dry in the machine. It was as if someone had broken in, only to live here for a few hours.

I hadn't understood until I saw a pair of Sam's jeans shoved into with my, now clean, laundry. And noticed the food wrappers in the trash were all his favourite snacks. He'd come in yesterday, he was here. Without thinking, I ran upstairs and burst into his room, expecting to see him slumped in bed asleep.

When his sheets were made and the room looked as untouched as it had looked for weeks, my heart broke all over again. The hope that had kept me up seeped out of my heart and I found myself leaning heavily into the doorframe. He wasn't back; he hadn't come back for me. The only conclusion I could think of was that he was using this as a strange base to visit between ventures into the forest.

Brushing away a tear, I stood back up and decided I'd make him come home. He had to. Marching downstairs, I began fixing meals. Cottage pie, casserole, stew, lasagne, apple tart, and every other recipe I could to bulk make and freeze. I'd make him come home by enticing him home with food. I spent all day cooking and freezing. Ignoring any other chore or job I needed to do, I was determined to find a reason for him to come home.

My frantic cooking was only paused when Leah called to let me know she would be joining me for dinner. Fixing a quick, simple dinner of steak and potatoes, I pulled out the last cherry pie to cool on the rack and waited for Leah. I couldn't wait for her to know Sam was around again, or would be when my plan worked. My excitement was barely contained when she jogged in for the rain with her own smile.

"Bella!" She threw her arms around me, "It's so good to see you!"

"You too, Leah." I burrowed my face into her long, dark hair to hold back my tears. So many tears we had shed together during our search for Sam, yet now we could spill them for joy of his eventual return.

"You'll never guess what!" She gushed as we sat down to eat, "I mean, who!" My brow furrowed, confused, "Sam!"

"Sam?" I echoed bewildered. Had she seen Sam too?

"Yes! He suddenly appeared in my room this morning. He's changed so much, and he's being so secretive…" She trailed off slightly, before recovering, "But he's back and I'm so happy. He's back, Bella, he's come home!"

"That's fantastic news." I smiled. Hurt and jealousy swam in my gut. Sam could visit her, but used our home as lodgings? Purposefully avoiding me, but spending time with Leah? I couldn't understand his behaviour or attitude right now. He was supposed to come home and life was supposed to return to normal, yet it felt like our home was being ripped about by secrets, and he was trying to avoid it all, avoid me. I tried to hide my hurt, though in her happiness she would never realise me pain.

"It's amazing news!" Leah nodded enthusiastically in agreement, "I mean I don't even know where he's been, or how he's even survived so long on his own out there. Everyone had given up hope of finding him a…but he's alive and he's here. Has he not come here yet? He said he'd seen you, I'm sure he said..."

"Yeah, he's been home." Pushing a bite of potato around my plate, I plastered a smile on my cracking emotions.

"Thank goodness! I thought for a moment there, I'd ruined the surprise! But he's been home, that's what matters, right? I don't care if he's been on some weird retreat to hunt monsters for three weeks and miraculously survived. He's back!"

"It's good news." But I could see the concern on Leah's face, "What's wrong, Leah?"

"He's just so different. He's cut his hair shorter and…and it's going to sound so odd, but he's like a hundred degrees! I wanted him to go to the doctors, but he refused. Sam…he's different, but he's still Sam? You know what I mean, don't you?" Leah frowned at me. I could tell she was at odds too with Sam, but she chose to be positive, while I sat stewing in the mystery and confusion of what Sam had become.

"Yeah, I do." I took her hand and tried to reassure her, "He's home, that's what counts." I couldn't face letting her feel the same disappointment I felt at his behaviour. We'd been hurting too much recently, she deserved some happiness.

"Yeah, he's home." But now the initial surprise was wearing off, I could tell she was worried. We were both deeply worried about him, but he was home, and I had to let her hold on to hope. Giving her hand one last squeeze, I moved to clear the table and get dessert.