Breaking Dawn

AN: Hello again! I just wanted to clarify that I am Australian, and I do say mum instead of mom. Sorry if it annoys it's just a habit. If it actually really annoys you I'll try and stop doing it. And I know you all want Edward and Bella to be living together right now, but I think Bella would choose to stay with Charlie for possibly the last couple of weeks they'll see each other. But anyway, on with the chapter.

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Chapter 11

I walked down the stairs, even more clumsy than usual now that a large thick blanket was wrapped around me. I held a once clean hankie to my nose. What had been a harmless cold had now turned into a raging flu. My joints ached and it felt like even lifting one finger took all my energy.

My back was throbbing from my 'fall'. Edward had just left and Renee had just arrived. I continued to walk down the stairs but Charlie blocked my way.

"Oh no you don't, get back into bed, you're very sick," Charlie ordered, Renee looking worried behind him.

"Oh Bella," she cried and pulled me into a tight hug, kissing me head.

"Mum, I'm fine," I struggled to say as her steel grip held me tight, "Mum you'll get sick."

Renee let go as I said this.

"How come your so sick?" She asked. I was relieved, Charlie hadn't told her about my little night adventure.

"I have no idea how I caught it. There's a bug that's been going round. I guess I caught it."

"Well, your going straight back to bed, I'll come and say goodbye to you later, you need your rest."

I rolled my eyes, but turned around and headed back to bed. In my room my suitcase was open and I had begun packing. I was going to move into Edward's tomorrow, sick or not.

I felt bad that I wasn't with him; we were married after all. I couldn't go to sleep, not when I had so much to do, I began to pack, slowly folding and pressing my clothes into my suitcase.

I retrieved a folded cardboard box from my cupboard and began filling it with my belongings, books, CD's and other trinkets. After an hour, I was done. I heard Charlie and Renee coming up the stairs so I ran to my bed and quickly pulled the covers over me, closing my eyes and trying my hardest to breathe evenly and be still.

They walked in and I heard them both sigh.

"She's all packed and ready," I hear Renee say tearfully.

"We've done a good job haven't we?"

"We did our best. She's all grown up now, she's a beautiful girl."

I could hear the sincere pride in her voice and tears came to my eyes.

"I'm going to miss her, off to college, I'm scared I won't get to see her much, I've grown quite attached to her over the past year."

"And I've missed her. Do you think she did well with Edward?"

"Yes. Edward… may be very intense, but he loves her and is very protective of her. I know he's going to take care of her," said Charlie.

Silent tears ran down my cheeks, it was hard to hold in my sobs, I tried my hardest to keep quiet.

"She's moving into Edward's house tomorrow. Then a few weeks later she'll be in Alaska. I'm going to miss her so much," said Charlie. Then there was a pause, where I guessed that Charlie was probably putting his arm awkwardly around Renee; I heard her sobs, muffled, probably because she was leaning into Charlie.

I heard them quietly leave, as soon as the door was shut, I let it all. And I cried. I cried my heart out, for everything. For me, for Edward, for Jacob, for my family, for my friends.

I cried for the future, I cried for the past and I cried for the present. I cried so much and I just couldn't stop. And finally when I did, I felt so much better. It was like it had been raining and then the sun had come out.

I felt terrible for what had happened earlier today, I knew I shouldn't have pushed Edward that far. But things were really getting to me. And I remembered what had crossed through my mind, when Edward had held me.

Just stay.

I cursed at myself. How could I even consider that? I mean, that was most definitely the last thing I wanted to do. Stay in Forks. And what would happen if I did?

I'd maybe buy a house in La Push, go to Jacob's wedding, sit in the back row and try my best to blend into the crowd. Visit Jake, talk to him on the phone, and listen to him when he had problems with Jade and hang around their house, waiting for something to happen.

I just couldn't. And how could I have even been considering this. I had married Edward, I was his forever. What he had done today, though completely unbelievable, was my fault. Why did I always have to go and ruin things like this?

My bones ached, I felt so weak and thirsty. I had been drained of all my energy, but my chest no longer felt numb, or pain. It felt, a feeling I couldn't describe, almost like I was whole.

Physically my body was weak, but my heart was strong. And I knew I loved Edward. Jacob was going to have to deal with this. I was strong.

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"Goodbye Bella! I'm going to miss you so much! Remember, my door is always open for you, anytime you want to come home, I'll be there to pick you up from the airport, anytime you need a talk just give me a ring," Renee managed to choke as tears ran down her cheeks.

She pressed me tightly into her arms into such a steel grip that told me, I'm never letting go! But she was unfortunately going to have to, as Phil stood there awkwardly, their second boarding call coming over the loudspeaker.

He extended his hand to me, kissing me on the cheek.

"It was a beautiful wedding, hope to see you soon," he said, and he sounded like he meant it, and I was suddenly filled with gratitude for Phil, he had taken care of mum well, and he was a decent guy.

"I'll miss you mum! I promise to call and email every night when I get there!"

"I'm holding you to that."

Renee was always so melodramatic; I blushed as others from the airport stared at us. But it didn't bother me so much; I was too much engrossed in my own thoughts to notice anyone else.

I walked back to the car with Charlie, not saying a word, in a trance like state. I was still sick, but I was glad to say that what I had caught seemed like only a 24-hour bug, or so I was hoping.

I pictured my mum's smiling, tearful face as I was sat down in Charlie's car, the look on her face almost bringing tears to my eyes. Though I had done my fair share of crying last night. I was sick of it. I pulled my jacket close around me, like a protective shield almost.

The drive home was silent, I wasn't sure if Charlie was embarrassed or he knew I wasn't really in the mood to talk. We finally arrived home, and though I had not seen Renee for a long time and I was used to being away from her, I still felt a gaping hole of loss in my heart.

The car ride had been spent in awkward silence, I was extremely grateful when we got back. I walked quickly into the house, ran up the stairs and collapsed on my bed, bursting into tears as I buried my face in my pillow. I hated this. I had thought I was over this, I thought I was strong.

I hated feeling like this. Weak. Just when I felt I had the strength, everything just seems to crash down on me. I needed Edward. I hadn't seen him in what seemed like forever. I missed him so much.

I wasn't sure how long I had been there, it had seemed like minutes but as I felt a cold hand on my shoulder, I looked up and out of the window and saw it was dark.

"Bella?" Edward's velvet voice whispered softly. I turned to him and crawled into his lap and wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling myself close. Edward wrapped his arms around me and buried his face into my hair, and whispered things I couldn't hear.

"Edward I love you."

"I love you too Bella Swan."

"I'm moving in with you tomorrow," I smiled, Edward laughed.

"I know you were supposed to move in with me today, but I know it's been a tough day for you so I think I'll let this one slide. I'll leave soon and get our room set up. And then we can start planning the move to Alaska."

I nodded. I was ready for this. I just needed tonight. Edward kissed me softly on my lips; I broke it to stare into his eyes, which were a honey color today. I must've looked terrible, eyes puffy, hair a mess.

That's how I felt, a big mess. Edward kissed me again softly; I lay down and curled into a ball. He lay behind me, wrapping his arms protectively around me. We lay like this for a long time. I could've lain in those arms forever.

Edward pulled a blanket over us and I drifted into a heavy sleep.

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Waking in the morning I was surprisingly warm. The bug I caught was almost gone. Almost. I got up quickly and ran to get a tissue. I heard a tinkling laugh from behind me.

"What are you doing here Alice?"

"Well it's not like I'm going to get sick. And that's not a very nice way to greet your friend who has come here to help you pack," she laughed.

"Too late Alice, I already did that job. But you could help me pack my car."

"Consider me your slave for the day," she grinned. It was great to see Alice; it felt like I hadn't seen her in ages. She lifted my suitcase effortlessly, pulling the cardboard box under he arm, and left mumbling something about me fixing my hair.

I rolled my eyes and pulled on a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, an old cardigan and a red woolen scarf, shoving a whole heap of tissues into the pockets. I then proceeded to the bathroom. Looking into the mirror was shameful.

I was a mess. I tried to tame my hair, but had not much success so pulled it into a loose ponytail. My eyes were extremely puffy so I put in some eye drops then took a cold/flu pill and walked downstairs.

Charlie and Alice were talking in the Kitchen, as I walked in they went quite. I sighed. I walked to the cupboard and pulled out a box of Count Chocula. Alice raised her eyebrow at me and I fought back a laugh.

"Well Charlie, you know you can come by anytime to see Bella. You shouldn't get so worked up, she's only going to be 10 minutes away."

"Yeah… I guess," Charlie said apprehensively, he looked a little awkward. He obviously didn't want to have this conversation with Alice.

"Well, I'll go and get the rest of your stuff Bella," Alice said brightly, bouncing off in an elegant prance. I realized that she had already taken all of my things. I was about to stand up and tell her this but it dawned on me that Alice must have wanted to give Charlie a chance to say something to me.

Charlie sat for a moment looking awkward.

"Spit it out Dad."

"Well Bella. I know that you and Edward are married…"

"Really?" I said sarcastically, and he scowled.

"But…I want you to respect the Cullen family," he struggled as he said the words. I tried to swallow my cereal but it had suddenly turned to cement. I was never a religious person, but I found myself praying to god he wasn't going to say what I thought he was going to.

"…Please… behave yourself in that house and respect the other members of Edward's family," Charlie seemed to struggle with the wording, making sure he wouldn't say anything that would cause embarrassment.

"Dad, I know, don't worry. I'll be good," I grinned. He smiled at me. I didn't really feel like eating the rest of my breakfast so I washed it down the sink and cleaned the bowl.

Alice came in at the perfect time; she was probably listening in at the door the entire time.

"Hmmm, must have made a mistake, I already got all of Bella's stuff!" she lied. I glared at her behind Charlie's back; she winked and gave me a mischievous smile.

"Well Charlie, I think it's best we take Bella off your hands now."

"You take care of my Bells."

"I'm not five! I can take care of myself thank you very much," I said as I tripped on a loose kitchen tile while trying to whack Charlie on the shoulder. He snickered.

"Well Charlie, thanks for putting up with me the past year. Come see me now and then."

"Bells, you have been a pleasure to have, it's going to be weird around here without you. I'm going to miss you. Am I going to see you before you go to Alaska?"

"Maybe, we'll see what happens, but I'll try my best."

We stood there for a few moments, both blushing, not sure what we should do next. Finally after a few painful seconds Charlie pulled me into an awkward hug.

"Love you heaps Charlie, I'll miss you," I said, and with surprise (and to my embarrassment), tears started to form in my eyes.

"Oh come on Bells don't start crying or I will too!"

"Yeah right Char-Dad I don't think you've cried for the past 18 years."

Charlie laughed, but there was sadness in his voice.

"Alright both of you get a grip on yourselves," Alice interrupted. I gave Charlie one last hug, and he kissed me on my for-head. I waved as I walked to my truck; Alice had sneakily slid into the drivers seat.

I pulled myself into the passenger seat, staring out the window as Charlie waved. My car started with a huge growl and Alice pulled out of my driveway. Though I had always hated Forks, I had grown really attached to Charlie's house. I was going to miss it.

It had truly become my home. But most of all I was going to miss Charlie. As we drove away…I swear I could see tears coming from Charlie's eyes. And with his came mine.

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AN: Well, there's the end to another Chapter. Thank you so much for the reviews guys! I really appreciate it. Also I'm really sorry for not updating sooner, I went to the beach for a week and I've kinda struck a bit of writers block problem. But I'll get through it. Also I just wanted to say thanks to The World Goes Round, for having a conversation with me over fan fiction. Sorry if I scared you. Thanks for reading, please review and I'll update sooner.