Saturday …
Bella Pov:
That Saturday was spent just how it was supposed to. Alice played dress up with Maggie and some how got me to play Barbie. She even bought us both new wardrobes, silly pixie. After that Maggie flittered downstairs to have her first piano lesson, I had to admit she was very good. Rosalie then put her into a mini jumpsuit and got her under the hood of the car, well she tried until I yelled at her and made Emmett go and hold the car up. That's when Maggie said how amazed she was at Emmett's strength and I forgot about how she didn't know their little secret. After working on the car Rosalie got Maggie cleaned off and handed her over to Emmett. He then brought her out to the back where it seemed they planted a new tree in the middle. It wasn't yet as big as its surrounding tree's but it had great branches to climb. Emmett leapt from branch to branch with Maggie in his arms, until they reached the top.
"Mama take a picture, mama hurry." I looked up and all the breath left my body at that moment. I felt the camera slip from my pocket and then heard a distinct click.
A velvety chuckle emitted from who ever took the picture next to me, "breathe Bella."
I released a breath that I didn't even know I was holding in, "She's so high. Oh Emmett please be careful coming down."
Emmett stopped at a branch with Maggie in his arms, he frowned at me. "Now really Bella don't be so absurd. I would never let anything happen to Maggie."
I chuckled only half heartedly, "I know that but that's my baby remember."
"Yeah I know," he shook his head and made a leap from a branch 50 feet in the air to the ground. "See piece of cake, right Maggz?"
"Right," she beamed and ran over to Edward who was standing next to me examining a photograph on the digital camera. "Edward did you take a good pict-"she yawned violently and then tried to recover, "ure."
A melodic laugh escaped his full lips, "Yeah Maggie I did." He looked over to me and then back at the photograph he had been examining. I walked over a couple inches to see what was so interesting and caught the photo before he had time to change it. "Come on Maggie lets get you some dinner, you have had a very long day."
"I'm not tired," she yawned again and leaned into Edwards's side. I was getting scared of her attachment to the Cullen's; I was all too aware of what happened once you got attached to them.
I wasn't hungry so I left everyone to coo over Maggie. I sat down on the piano bench and began to hit random keys. He was staring at a picture Jacob had taken of me and Maggie on the slide. It was definitely a Kodak moment, but the way he stared at it … like with longing.
A long strong arm wrapped itself around my shoulder. At first I was scared it was Edward and then I saw a smiling Esme sitting next to me. "Hi Esme," I smiled and leaned into her.
"Hello my darling daughter, how are you holding up?" Daughter, hmm that was something I wasn't expecting.
"I'm holding up … okay. Daughter Esme, why did you call me that?"
Her laughing vibrated against my body, "Sweetheart you have been my daughter since the moment you got Edward back at this piano playing your lullaby. I remember that day so clearly, hearing him finally play after weeks of separating himself. It was literally music to my ears."
"I had nothing to do with it Esme, it was all his doing. He never needed me," I sighed for some reason that thought depressed me even more."
"Darling he needs you more then you have ever been able to see even now." She got up slowly and turned to me, "Love never fades especially the right kind of love." She walked into the kitchen and I could see her join the laughter of the others.
Edward Pov:
I walked out of the kitchen letting everyone else talk to Maggie. She had an addictive quality to herself, just like Bella. I stopped at the door way into the parlor. There she was sitting at my piano. Those deep brown eyes of hers swimming with so many emotions.
"Bella?" She turned to me and a tear escaped her eyes. I rushed over to her side and wiped the tear away, "Bella love what's wrong?"
"Why does everything have to be so complicated? I would ask you why you had to come back but I'm reasonable and I know you didn't do it on purpose. Plus, I do miss Alice, Esme and everyone else." I hung my head, being here hurt her. The old Bella would have thrown a tantrum, this older Bella was more reasonable. Was she still my Bella?
"I'm sorry for messing with your world Bella … Can I ask you something?"
She looked kind of skeptic, "Um Sure."
How was I suppose to word this, "When we were dating you have to understand that you were not only my girlfriend, but also my best friend. I need my friend back Bella, at least that please?"
She stared into my eyes for what seemed forever. These were the times I wished I could read her mind, "Dammit Bella what are you think? Say something, please."
"I'm … Your right you know. You weren't just my boyfriend either you were one of my best friends. I think I can handle being friends."
Bella Pov:
Who was I kidding I can't be close enough to be his friend, but those pensive eyes begged for me to take him in. I can't say no to him, never could. A smile spread across his face, there was my favorite crooked smile that I haven't seen in almost 7 years.
"That's great Bella; I promise you won't regret it."
"Regret What?" Alice came into the room and sat at the bench with me.
She put an arm around my waist. To everyone it would have seemed endearing but she had been doing that all day. Part of me thought she was holding me here, like if she let go I was going to leave forever.
Alice looked up at Edward, "Bella said we could be friends."
Alice jumped in her seat, "Oh that's great! Now were all us minus yah know."
"Sure," how wrong was she? We could never be us. "Okay guys it's getting late. I need to get Maggie into bed. It was a great day, we should do it again."
"How about next Saturday," Alice suggested.
Edward Pov:
"No sorry, Jacob's only here for 2 weeks and I promised him I was all his until he left." Jacob of course, I let myself get to happy over the first little step that I deluded myself into forgetting she already had all the male friend she would ever need.
We all walked them to the door each giving them a hug or peck on the kiss. I squeezed Maggie in my arms, but not tight enough to do any damage. "Bye Edward, see you next week."
"No sweetie you're not coming next week," Bella announced.
Her little face fell, "Mama but my lessons."
"Oh lessons your right I did promise, um Edward?"
What did she just call me? I snapped my head up and found the most beautiful brown eyes looking at me, "Yes?"
A smirk played at the edges of her beautiful full lips, "Can I drop her off on Thursday after school? She doesn't have ballet that day and I can take Jake out I guess." Jake of course, I heard Alice hiss which surprised me.
"Okay, I can pick her up at school if you want?"
"No, I will drop her off. I can't have people noticing our closeness."
I laughed, "Closeness?"
She scowled and turned to say goodbye to everyone.
After she left I saw that Alice was genially mad, "What's up with you Ali?"
"I can't believe Bella mentioned Jacob like that if I didn't know her I would say she was trying to make you jealous."
I rolled my eyes, "Bella didn't want to make me jealous. She probably is just not use to not saying his name." She sighed, "You remember when we left you would accidentally say stuff like 'maybe I can get Bella to go to the mall with me this weekend' or 'that new movie is coming out Bella will love it'. It's hard adjusting Alice," She smiled.
"When did you get so Gandhi on us?" She danced over giving me a tight hug. "Best brother you know that," I heard Emmett run in.
He scowled, "Hey what am I chop liver?"
"Aw Emmett he might be the best but you're the most lovable," Emmett was fine with that and he hugged Alice.
I heard Esme chuckle behind us I knew having Bella back would be good for the family.
Bella Pov:
As I drove home I glanced into my mirror to see Maggie fast asleep in the back. She looked so peaceful, and carefree. I wish I could be like that, if only. I still can't get out of my mind Edward looking at that picture of me and Maggie with longing eyes. He probably wants to have a family like that and was … I don't know. He so frustrating sometimes, god like my life can't get complicated enough.
I slowed down at a red light and my phone began to ring, "Hello?" I yawned I didn't realize how tired I was; well it was 11:30pm.
"Bells where are you look at the time," he sounded pissed off.
I chuckled, "What are you my father? I'm on my way home now, see you Jake."
"Be careful Bella, see you soon."
Edward Pov:
Sets before Bella had the phone conversation with Jacob
I sat at the piano running my hands over the keys, I had a melody in my head but I didn't quite know how to work with it yet.
"Alice, Alice sweetie what do you see?" I turned to see Jasper waving his hand in front of Alice's face.
I instantly searched her mind, and all the air left my lungs.
Bella was waiting at a red light, she was laughing about something. It turned green and she drove on but a car from a different lane wasn't driving straight. He swerved, crap is he drunk, the drunk driver had a huge 4x4 all Bella is driving is 2000 Honda civic; and then it happened. The car slammed into the side of her car sending her flipping and straight into a tree.
"No!" I hadn't realized I screamed out loud because everyone was looking at me.
Alice looked up to me her body racked with tears, "Edward" she said in barely a whisper.
"Lets go we have to save her," I was already running out the door.
I could feel everyone running after me, "What the hell is going on?" Emmett bellowed, "What happened to Bella?"
I looked back at Carlisle who was right next to me, he already had in medical bag in hand. "Carlisle do you have your phone?"
"Yes," he looked perplexed, "Why though?"
"Call Jacob, tell him what's going on, trust me."
He nodded and did as I asked of him. Alice was filling in the family about what was happening when I saw it. Her car was practically twisted around the bark.
"Momma, momma it hurts momma."
"Maggie," we all said at once. Emmett and Rosalie were the most determined at this point. Emmett dragged the car back onto the street and Rosalie ripped the door open. Maggie was sitting in the back still with her seat belt on. It seemed to have cut into her body and she was holding her left arm in a weird way as if she broke it. Rosalie slowly unbuckled her and pulled her out.
"Hey Princess, How you doing?" Alice cooed, as she hovered around Rosalie.
She began to cry, "I'm okay. It hurts a little, and I can't feel my arm. Where's my momma?"
I was trying to rip open the door at this point, but the car had done a number on it. Finally I got it off; to me it felt like forever to everyone else I was less then a minute.
"Bella," She didn't move and at that moment I panicked. I pulled her out of the car and laid her lightly on the side walk. "Bella love wake up please," a whimper could be heard behind me
"Momma, oh please let me down Rose please." Maggie was struggling in Rose's arms trying to get to her mother.
"Rosalie be careful she'll get bruises," Esme called. I started to hear footsteps, four to be exact, running towards us.
"Edward let me through," Carlisle pushed through and began to examine Bella. I turned trying to control the sobs that began to overtake my body.
"Edward," Maggie pleaded with me. She had her arms outstretched.
I opened my arms to take her into my arms, "Come on princess."
"Is my momma going to be okay?" She held on tight to my neck, a human would have been chocking by now.
"Yes, I promise you she will." Edward don't promise her that you don't know that, Alice scolded me. I hissed at her, "Yes she will. I hear her heart beating weak but its beating, right Carlisle."
He sighed, "Yes Edward but she has some internal bleeding and broken legs, or maybe even …" he trailed off and started to talk to himself while he analyzed her.
"What happened here?" Jacob came bursting through a small park on the other side of the road. "Oh god Bella," he ran to her side. "Well you're a doctor help her," Emmett and Jasper both growled.
"Stop it boys, I'm doing the best I can Jacob I promise you." He growled, you could tell he was as annoyed as I was at not being able to help her.
"Where is Maggie?" Maggie was still in my arms slowly crying but I could hear her breathing starting to even out.
"Jake?" she picked her head up, "Jake Momma's hurt."
"I know princess, she'll be alright I promise." He tried to take Maggie from my arms but she held on harder which got him even more annoyed. I was kind of grateful; having Maggie in my arms was like having a piece of Bella with me.
"Oh no," I snapped my head in Carlisle's direction. "It seems like there is nothing else I can do, she has to much internal bleeding and her spine is totally cracked."
"Where is the mother fucker that did this to her?" Jacob growled this question out and until that moment I was too worried with Bella to think of him. His car had gone into an abandon factory a couple feet away, I heard no heart beat and was satisfied with his death.
"He's dead," I shot my head in the direction of the car.
He growled, "It should have been me to kill him." Then he looked at me, "You can still help her."
"No Jacob I am serious, I love Bella like my own daughter, but there is nothing I can do at all," I could see Carlisle calculating different idea's in his head on how to save her, but none worked.
"No, no you can help her. You can save her I don't care how you save her just save her."
Then I understood what he meant, Maggie was looking at us confused. I could tell she didn't understand that if we could save her why we wouldn't do it. "He wants us to change her," I said as flatly as I could.
"Oh Jacob I don't know," Carlisle said.
"Please," the tears began to fall from his face, "Please save her. She is all I have, all Maggie has.'
"Edward save my momma please, if Jacob said you can save her please save her." He eyes we dark chocolate and deep just like Bella.
"I can't do it," Alice came to take Maggie from my arms.
Maggie and Jacob stared at me, "Please save her."
"Save her Eddie she's my momma, my daddy already left I need my momma."
"Save her please, she is my best friend." Jacob pleaded with me showing me memories of them together throughout the years.
I shook my head, "I can't … I" I chocked. Do I have the strength to do that?
Ouchh major cliff hanger. You think Edward can do it?
Im so evil sometimes, I know.
Kay Review please!