BELLA

The doorbell rang just as I let go of Jasper.

"That's probably Jacob." I said and we left the room.

Rosalie had already let Jacob in before Jasper and I even reached the bottom of the stairs. They were sitting, in silenece, in the living room. Rosalie was staring out the window with her nose wrinkled. Jacob was sitting on the couch, trying harder to hide his disgust, watching the stairs. He got up and ran to me as we appeared at the bottom of the stairs. He kissed my forehead and wrapped his arms around my waist.

"How are you doing?" he asked as he pulled away.

"As well as can be expected." I replied. "Jasper had to help me finish getting ready."

"Thank you." he said to Jasper.

I was surprised to hear true sincerity in his voice. Maybe their getting alon for my sake was going to help their future relationship.

"Just doing what I can for my little sister." Jasper replied with a small smile.

Rosalie had gotten up and joined us by the stairs.

"When's Alice coming back with Phil and Renee?" I asked her.

"She just called. They're on their way." Rosalie answered. "Alice figured you and Renee would want to talk about things. Which is why she arranged such an early flight. She's dropping Renee off here then taking Jasper, Phil, and I to the church to take care of some last minute details. Then Jacob is bringing you and Renee when you're ready."

I nodded.

"Thanks for everything guys. I don't know what I'd do without you." I said.

I knew I'd have to say something to everyone else but I felt I should say something now.

"We're happy to do it." Rosalie said. (A/N: Rosalie changed her tune after Edward's speech. Bella isn't reacting oddly because she's still in shock about her dad. They will have a talk later though.)

"Yes, you're family and we take care of family." Jasper added.

"And you know I'd do anything for you." Jacob said.

I nodded. They tried to lead me to the living room. They wanted me to sit but I knew it wasn't a good idea. I needed to keep my mind and body busy. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to keep it together. I had spent too much time this past week falling apart. Today was the day I had to be strong for all those people who were coming to honor my father. He had a right to have those people recieved with the utmost control and composure. If I lost it before the service I'd never get it back.

I ignored their attempts to lead me into the living room. Walking instead to the laundry room. I knew I had gotten behind on it and needed to catch up. That would definitely keep me busy until Renee arrived. The others followed me with worried expression. I still felt Jasper using his powers on me. I appreciated that but it wasn't enough. I had to keep my mind focused on other things and not what was going to happen this afternoon.

When we got back to the laundry room. I noticed the washer and dryer were empty as was the basket where we put the dirty things. Damn it! Someone had done them for me. What was I supposed to do know?I couldn't just sit. I walked back to the ktichen hoping for some dishes but someone had done them too.

"What did you guys clean the whole house for me?" I almost yelled.

I knew I shouldn't have been mad but since I had nothing else to do I needed the outlet.

"We were just trying to relieve some of the stress." Jasper stated. He was a little scared by the emotions I had pouring of me.

"But I need the distraction right now." I said trying to fight the lump in my throat. "I can't just sit there and think about what I have to do today. I-I-I-"

I couldn't hold it in anymore today. I collapsed to the floor and started sobbing. This flood was worse than when Jacob first told me Charlie died. Up until today, I could just pretend that he was on an extended fishing trip with Billy and be back when he wanted to be. After the funeral though, I had to accept the fact that he wasn't ever comuing home. That was harder than I thought it would be. I didn't want to think about it or deal with the thought of it.

I had thought the afternoons that I spent with Jasper prepared me for this. I was wrong. I was o closer to accepting what happened than I was a week ago. My father was dead and I had to bury him. There was nothing anyone could do to save him. Carlsile could've that night but he knew I didn't want that existence for my father. Charlie probably didn't want it for himself either.

I felt Jasper trying extra hard to calm me as Jake wrapped his warm arms around me. I felt Rosalie's cold hand stroking my hair. Nobody knew what to say as I sat on the kitchen floor crying. I was grateful that no one tried to tell me everything would be okay or I would get through it. I didn't want to hear those things. I wanted to cry for my father. I wanted to believe the whole world had stopped because he was dead.

I cried for a good fifteen minutes before we heard the door open.

"Bella, we're hear." Alice yelled unsure of where we were.

I heard Rosalie's heels clunk across the floor as she walked into the living room. I continued to cry in Jacob's arms. Jasper had given up trying to calm me. My body nor my mind wanted to.

"Bella," I heard Alice whisper in my ear a minute later. "Your mom wants to talk to you. I'm going to take the others to the church. Jacob will bring you when you're ready."

I nodded into Jacob's chest. I felt Alice kiss my forhead. Then I heard the footsteps that marked hers and Jasper's exits. Jacob stood a second later.

"I'll be in the living room." he told me. "If you need anything."

I looked up a minute after he left to see Renee standing in the door way. She had tears in her bloodshot eyes. She was dressed in a black button down blouse and a pair of black slacks. She was strappy black stilettos with black panty hose. She had no make up on (That was a first for Renee) and it looked like she gave up on doing something to her hair. It was a mess of curls. As I looked at her, I realized she was taking this harder than I thought she would. I mean, she did used to be married to him and I knew part of her still loved him. Yet, I couldn't believe the sadness on her face or in her eyes.

"Bella," she said before coming to me and wrapping her arms around me. "I'm so sorry baby. I love you so much."

"I love you too, mom." I choked out before breaking down again.

"I know honey." she soothed. "Cry as long as you need to. I understand."

After another half hour, I calmed down enough for us to talk.

"You must be having the worst time dealing with this. I wanted to come down sooner but the Cullens couldn't get us an earlier flight." she told me.

"It's okay mom. It's not like I'm having to deal with it by myself. I have the Cullens and Jack and his friends." I explained. "They've all taken very good care of me. I haven't been alone since that night. And Alice and Emily, my best friends, have planned the whole funeral."

"I'm glad, honey." she told me. "I'll have to tell them how grateful I am that they took care of my baby."

"And they'll continue to take care of me when you go back to Jacksonville." I was about to tell her about what the Cullens planned to do for me but she cut me off.

"You're coming back to Jacksonville with Phil and I." she said sounding motherly.

"No mom. I'm staying right here." I told her.

"No. I can't let you stay here all by yourself." she said. "If you're staying then I'm staying."

"You don't have to mom. You need to go with Phil. I won't be all by myself. I have two families here. I have Jake and a whole bunch of kids in La Push. I have the Cullens and Angela and some other kids from school. I can't just leave them."

"I understand that you don't wanna leave your friends but how will you support yourself. Even if your dad was able to leave you money, it won't last forever."

"I know but the Cullens and my other friends have already offered to help me there. And I've agreed."

"That's generous of them but do you really want to be in their debt."

"Thay don't want me to pay them back."

"Okay but what about college?"

"The Cullends want to pay for that too."

"Oh, okay. So you don't need me to help you."

He voice cracked. I was worried she was going to cry. She misunderstood.

"Of course I need you mom. I just don't want you to give up your life or money for me. You can't afford it. The Cullens can and that's why they offered so you wouldn't have to worry about it. That doesn't mean that you can't send me money when you're able. That just means you won't have to worry about me going without if you can't. That's all." I explained hurriedly.

She nodded and I hugged her.

"Are you sure you're gonna be okay?" she asked.

"Eventually," I answered. "It'll take some time but I'll get there. Until then I have three families that will support me through it. That's all I need."

"I love you so much baby."

"I love you too, mom." we hugged and I let a few more tears fall.

I heard Jacob clear his throat.

"I hate to interupt but we have to be to the church in twenty minutes." he stated.

My mom and I both got up off the floor.

I suddenly remembeed the last time Renee saw me I was nearly catatonic over Edward. She had no idea that I was dating Jacob. She had yet to even meet him.

"I'm sorry. You two haven't been formally introduced." I said wiping away a few stray tears. "Mom this is my boyfriend, Jacob. Jacob this is my mother Renee Dwyer (A/N: I think that's her new last name.)"

Jacob reached out his hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Dwyer. I'm only sorry it couldn't be under better circumstances." he said politely.

"Thank you dear. It's a pkeasure to meet you to. And please call me Renee." Renee replied and shook his hand.

Five minutes later, we were in Jacob's rabbit and he was driving us to the church. Renee was sitting in the passenger seat and I was in the back behind Jacob. Renee positioned herself so she could talk to me.

"I know this may be a bad time to bring it up but I'm curious about something." she said to me.

"What?" I asked.

"I don't want to seem rude because I'm grateful for everything that they've done for you." she stated.

My heart began pounding in my chest. I knew what she was going to ask. And I didn't know how to answer. I couldn't tell her the real reason why they came back or left in the first place for that matter. I glanced at Jake who was looking at me through the rearview mirror. I knew he knew what she was getting at too. We both worried about the answer. What if Phil asked the same question and the others gave him a different answer? Not to mantion the fact that I sucked at lying.

"I was just wondering what was going on with the Cullens? Why did the leave and come back so suddenly?" Renee continued.

I took a deep breath.

"Carlisle got offered a better job at a hospital in L.A. and he, of course, accepted it. Edward thought it would be easier for me to let him go if I thought he didn't love me anymore. Which is why he broke up with me the way he did. Well, you know what happened to me after that."

It was easier than I thought to talk about the time they were gone. I think it had a lot to do with finally understanding the true reasons behind it. I thought it was simply that they didn't want me anymore but I knew it was only for my protectiion. That made it easier for me to forgive them.

"The spent almost a year in L.A. but Edward was really unhappy. He was the only one who didn't have a constant lover. I mean his brothers and sisters were with each other because technically they aren't related. You know. But Edward was always the odd one out. Carlisle and Esme were always worrying that he'd never find someone. When they saw how hard he was taking being away from me and he wasn't getting any better. Carlisle decided to quit his job and bring the family back."

"I see." Renee said. "So what happened when he found out about you and Jacob?" Renee questioned.

Why did she always have to ask the hard question? I knew what she was trying to do, though She was trying to keep me from thinking about where we were going and what we had to do. It was working. She had no idea how well. I had to think very hard about what I said. I didn't want to give anything away about the Cullens or the pack. It would put not only myself but Renee in danger. I didn't want that.

"Well, he took it pretty hard at talked about it after he got over the shock. We decided that we wanted to be friends and not hate each other. Things are a little awkward right now but we're getting through it. Jacob knows he doesn't have any competition and Edward knows that there's no way he could be competition. And we're all okay with the way things turned out." I explained.

Thankfully, Jake had just pulled into the church and Renee didn't get a chance to ask anymore questions.

The sevice was beautiful as was the wake that followed at the Cullens. I'd have to thank Alice and Emily for planning it. I woud also have to thank the others for paying for it. Between the tribe and the Cullens Charlie got the best of everything from the coffin he was laid to rest in right down to the flowers that were hang in the church. I was grateful to everyone for everything the did to make this easier for Renee and I. Jasper and Jacob were by my side the whole time as promised. Jasper was wore out by the time it was all over. He was pulling double duty trying to keep mine and Renee's grief to a minimum.

They refused to let Renee and I clean up after the wake. The Cullens with help from the pack cleaned everything. I was surprised that they agreed to even come to the Cullen's house but even Billy had shown. I was grateful for the effort that they were putting into getting along for my sake. It was doing all of them a lot of good.

After they finished cleaning, we sat in the living room talking about anything and everything but Charlie. I was grateful for that too. I was way to emotionally drained to think about him anymore today. I was ready for another breakdown. I fell asleep with my head in Jacob's lap, on the Cullen's couch around three in the morning.

A/N: I know still nothing happens. Don't worry something big will happen in the next chapter. I want to let you know, that I;m not completely sure if I'm accurate on Bella's emotions at this point. I've never lost someone I loved that much or at least not someone I can remember. So I'm not sure how the emotions go. I would assume they are as random and off as Bella's are. If not, I'm sorry. I also want to apologize for not going into detail on the funeral. Ive never been to one so I'm not sure exactly what they do there or what's said. Please forgive my ignorance on that. Anyway, I hope you liked it. Remember, something happens in the next chapter and it's big. I don't think you'll see it coming. Guess if you wish. I'll give a special shout out to anyone who gets it right. Please review.