Chapter 2 – Unexpected

My decision was finally. It has been more than seven months. Here I was in Rio, hiding from my family, from the world. Hiding away from my life. My life was in Forks. Not the life I lived, but the life I was in love with. She was there, not waiting for me, but she was there. In that rain covered town. The rain, saturating through her mahogany hair, making it look black. The eyes of liquid chocolate and the scent of sweet freesias and lavender. I was determined to return and make things right. Alice was right, I couldn't run from this. I tried before and failed. I tried again and I was failing miserably. I held out longer, but my reserve of strength to stay away from her was empty. I need Bella in my life, because she is my life. I changed out of the tattered shirt I wore. The shirt that I wore the day I left her. It surprised me that it still held together, but soon enough, my clothes will smell of her scent again. I changed and as soon as night fell, I was on my way to the airport. I purchased my ticket to Seattle. Waiting for my flight, my phone vibrated. I smiled, no surprise who this was.

"Edward, this is so wonderful. Don't worry. I'm already on my way home and I will have everything ready. I saw the vision this morning and I told everyone. Esme, Carlisle and Jasper are closing up everything in Ithaca. Emmett and Rosalie are on their way back from Asia. I know you think it was presumptuous of me to do this, but my vision was solid." I chuckled, "It's fine, Alice. I hurt you so much with my decision to leave. Just promise me you won't go to her house until I get there." She sighed, "Of course. Anything you want, Edward. I can't wait to see you and Bella." "Flight 952 to Seattle is now boarding." The announcement was repeated again in Spanish and Portuguese, "Alice, I have to go. I will see you soon." I boarded the plane. Waiting to take off, I took out the abused picture of me and Bella from her birthday. The smile on her face and the way her eyes looked at me, I hoped she would look at me like that again.

I looked at the picture and thought about our reunion. Would she be happy to see me? Would she be sad or indifferent? I sighed, no matter what she was like, I would be happy to see her again. I closed my eyes and leaned my head back. This was as close to sleep that I could get. I let my mind wander; my version of dreaming. I saw Bella sitting at her desk in her bedroom. The curtain of her hair sprawled over her shoulders, no, pulled into a ponytail at the nape of her neck, with her hair hanging down one of her shoulders. She wore a spaghetti strap tank top, with her familiar sweats. I slipped through her widow and held her hair. She smiled and looked up at me, from her computer. "Edward," she jumped up and threw her arms around my neck. I pressed my lips to hers, wrapping my arms around her.

I was engrossed in my fantasy, that time flew by and the plane began to descend at Sea-Tac Airport. I opened my eyes and left the plane. I received a message on my phone, "Don't bother running or renting a car, I'm already here." Alice again. I think she was more excited than me. Outside, I saw my silver Volvo and she jumped out of the car and threw herself at me, "Oh, Edward, you really have made me so happy. Come on, you need to hunt before you see her." Alice practically pushed me into the car, "You know, Alice, I can still drive my own car." She giggled, "Oh, hell. You cannot see Bella looking like that." Her mind rambled on and on about what to dress me in, how I should look and lamented what she would wear. "Alice, how about we hunt first, then we could focus on the more important things, like matching your shoes with your jewelry?" She scowled at me, "Fine." When we reached the east end of the Olympic National Park, Alice parked and we ran through the forest. I took down two bears.

I knew I was engorging myself, but I felt more alive than I have in a long time. I was back home. The familiar scent of the trees, the scent of the rain in the air and the cloudy look of the sky. One more thing would complete my euphoria, Bella. Alice thought about the similarity of our trip. She thought about us hunting in this park the day before I took Bella to my meadow. My meadow; it's been so long. "Alice…." She shook her head, "No, I'm driving you home. You can run from there, not here." I nodded, "Fine. Let's go." We walked to the car, arm-in-arm. Mine over her shoulders and her's around my waist, being brother and sister again. We drove down the familiar roads to our home. The meadow of our house needed tending to badly. Everything was overgrown. "I wanted to get started on this, but your flight was coming in and I, at least, had to get the house ready. And, I was alone." "Its fine, Alice. I'll get started." She smiled and I saw her vision, Rosalie and Emmett would be here in less than an hour. "Maybe, I'll wait. Emmett will want to fight and that would be perfect to clear out the yard." Alice smiled, "You're right." I went up to my room. The air was stagnant and the scent of dust hung heavily in the air.

Alice was able to get the first two floors done, but the third still needed to be cleaned. In my room, my couch was underneath a large white drop cloth. My stereo was in a box, along with my CDs and albums. My closet was locked up and I opened it. My clothes were fine. One top stood out among everything else. I took it up and it was a short, fringed sleeved green blouse. It was Bella's. She left it here when she and Alice went swimming in the river. Alice cleared out a drawer in my closet for Bella's things. I opened it and saw her lavender swimsuit. I remember Alice trying to talk her into wearing a bikini, but Bella was too shy. I laughed at the memory as the front door opened, "Alice, the yard is awful. We have to clean it up before Esme gets here." I actually smiled at Rosalie's voice. Someone sniffed at the air, "Oh, I'm going to get him." Emmett came flying up the stairs, but I leapt out the window into the yard. "Down here." Emmett tackled me, "Are you in a better mood?" he held me in a headlock. I fought out of his hold, ripped a sapling from the ground and threw it at him.

After fighting for two hours, the yard was practically cleared. "Ok, Em, lets clean up the debris." He shrugged, "Whatever you want. It's just great to see you again and smiling. What brought this on?" I smiled, "I got tired of fighting. I couldn't do it anymore." Emmett nodded, "Good. I can't wait to see her again. I really did miss her. I'm just glad you changed your mind." We heard someone stomp their foot in the house, "Is that it?! Is that why we came back? So, Edward can get her back?" I looked up at the window, "Just shut up, Rosalie. I really don't need to hear anything from you." She huffed. She was quite, verbally, while unpacking hers and Emmett's bags, but her mind was going a mile a minute. Ignoring her, Emmett and I cleaned up the yard and cleared out the drive way.

Soon, everyone was home. Esme threw herself at me, "Don't you ever put us through this again. I'm so happy to see you." Everyone was happier again. Carlisle got his job back at the hospital and had work the next day. Jasper was busy trying to make things up to me, but I told him it was fine. Emmett kept me occupied all night, by Alice's request. The following day, it was Jasper's turn to keep me busy. "Please, when you see her, please, please apologize for me." I rolled my eyes, "Jas, she's forgiven you since before we left. I told you that. She blamed herself. There's nothing to apologize for." It was the night before Alice and I had to go back to school. My knee bounced anxiously as the minutes ticked by.

Edward, go. She's at home right now. She'll be in bed soon. I stood and walked over to the window, "Thanks, Alice." I leapt from the window and ran in the direction. I didn't have to push myself forward. It was like I was being pulled. Soon, I saw the house, with the bay window. The window was open slightly and I caught her scent. Scaling the house, I heard my favorite sound in the world; her heartbeat. Opening the window, I slipped into the room and there she was. After months of her image haunting me, there she was in the small bed. Just like the first night, her hair was sprawled across the pillow. Her arm hung off the bed. She turned over restlessly, but she wasn't muttering in her sleep. I knelt down by her bed and I looked at the face I loved; I couldn't get enough of it. Her lips were parted and I inhaled at her scent. She turned away from me. I walked around the bed to stare at her. Soon, I couldn't help myself as I got into the bed myself. I wrapped my arms around her and she molded her body to mine. I buried my face in her hair. Every nerve in my body was alive. I studied every aspect of her. The feel of her skin under my fingers. Every curl in her hair. The rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. I noticed some changes; her hair was longer, she was slightly thinner and there was a slight change to her scent. I couldn't pinpoint it, but it didn't mar her original floral scent.

She suddenly inhaled deeply and turned over. I thought she woke up, but her breath was steady. Her voice whimpered and I looked at her. She was having a nightmare. I kissed her cheek and she sighed. I stayed in bed with her for hours. She didn't speak once, but that was fine. I wanted to hear her voice as she was completely awake. The sun was beginning to rise. I kissed her cheek again, "I'll see you soon. I love you." I dashed out the window and ran, almost flew home. Alice had everything ready. Esme had contacted the school on Friday and informed them that Alice and I were coming back. It wasn't necessary for her to come; we were 18 years old, at least that what the school thought. We drove my car and pulled up to the school. All eyes widened and half of the students gasped as Alice and I walked through the campus. "I don't believe this. They're back." "Oh, my gosh, does Bella know?" Alice knew Bella's schedule and we had every class with her. "She's running late, but she'll be here in fifteen minutes." I smiled, "Thanks, Alice." I saw the vision of Bella running out of her house. Soon, we heard her truck. Alice was practically bouncing in her seat. We were sitting on at the far end of the parking lot, so she wouldn't see us.

I saw her. Her eyes were widened by her tardiness. Flinging her bag over her shoulder, she moved gracefully, until she was stopped by Jessica and Angela. She must know. Look at her face. This isn't going to be easy, Angela thought. This is going to be interesting, Jessica lamented. The three of them spoke and walked to their classes. Alice and I followed quietly. "You know. My friend, Emily Young on the reservation. I got home late last night. Charlie was already asleep when I got home. And he was gone when I got up. Now, what is going on?" Her voice was like an angel's chorus. Angela's eyes widened as she looked at me and Alice walking towards them. Uh-oh. "Ok. This is it…. umm." Angela began to explain, but Alice couldn't contain herself. "Bella!" Bella's back straightened and her bag fell from her shoulder. Alice embraced Bella and hugged Jessica and Angela. Edward, now! "Bella." Her eyes didn't meet mine as she faced me, "Bella." I said her name in such relief. When her eyes met mine, I smiled. The chocolate brown eyes I've dreamed of for so long were in front of me again. Soon, my smile fell. Her eyes were not happy, but shocked.

Her eyes closed and she began to fall backwards. I caught her waist, as Alice, Jessica and Angela grabbed her shoulders and arms. A chorus of "Bella" filled the air as her body fell limply to the ground. I didn't think she'd react like this. I'm sorry, Edward. "Oh, my gosh. What happened?" Angela was concerned. "She's just fainted, I think. We have to get her to the nurse," Jessica added. Alice took her book bag from the ground as I carried Bella to the nurse's office. Jessica and Angela followed after us. "Oh, my! What happened to her?" the nurse asked. "She fainted. She's completely unconscious," I explained setting Bella's body down on the bed, letting her slip out of my arms. Oh my heavens. I heard she fainted in the forest after they left, now, she's fainted when they come back. She is so affected by the Cullens, or maybe, just by Edward. This is the second time he's brought her in here because she's fainted. The nurse's thought shocked me; she fainted when I left her? I looked at Alice and she was as shocked as I was, I didn't see that. Jessica and Angela were allowed to stay with Bella, but the nurse pushed me and Alice out. "It's your first day back to school. You can check on her between classes."

I would be checking on her every minute I was away from her. Alice was already looking into her future, "She'll be awake in four hours. We can go see her then." I would let Bella rest. This would be more difficult than I thought.