Bella felt warm inside as she witnessed Carlisle catching up with Nessy and Jake. Even Billy seemed genuinely happy to see him, though you knew there was always mutual respect between them despite their differences. Like the night before, that day had been uplifting in ways that Bella hadn't experienced in over a decade.

"Tell another one, Dad," Jacob's eldest son, who was named after him, requested. He poked at the fire with a long stick and everything about his question made Jacob smile.

Carlisle glanced over at Bella and she looked to him as they sat side by side in Adirondack chairs. "Thank you, Bella," he said softly.

"For what?"

"For this." He nodded toward the crowd that had gathered by the oversized fire in back of Jacob and Nessy's house.

"It was Reneseme's idea." She took in a deep breath through her nose. His stare had her captivated. The golden eyes against perfect, marble skin almost looked brand new to her. Bella couldn't turn away.

"Yeah, well.." Carlisle finally looked down, breaking the trance she had been in and Bella managed to look back at the fire. "If it weren't for you I'd be in self-isolation feeling sorry myself.. alone." He looked up as Nessy scooped up one of the boys into her lap as Jacob kissed her on the cheek, "This is a lot better."

Bella felt his internal struggles in her core. The ups. The downs. The two of them were on the same page, mourning in the same way. It only made sense that they could help pull one another from that constant melancholy state.

Her hand fell over the top of his on the arm of the chair and Carlisle almost appeared startled at her touch. His eyes rose to meet Bella's again.

"Finding you out in the woods yesterday.." She shook her head. It had always been difficult for Bella to get out the right words when they meant so much, "It was the best I've felt in a long time, Carlisle." She shook her head, "You're like this.. glue.. that holds everyone together; that brings everyone together."

"I haven't been doing much of that lately," he confessed. His eyes dropped to her hand on his and he maneuvered his fingers so they locked just a bit. Carlisle had a lot of strong points, but opening up and being vulnerable wasn't one of them. Not when he had to be the logical, moral leader of his family.

"You've done so much for other people. Maybe it's time you get taken care of." Bella nudged him with a smirk, "And just accept it." She didn't know what exactly came over her talking to Carlisle so casually - but from his smile and his body language she suspected he was enjoying her company.

When he didn't speak she continued. "We need to let ourselves be happy. I mean.. at least sometimes, right?"

Carlisle's eyes moved back to meet hers. "I'm grateful for today," he agreed with a nod.

"So am I."

"Hey, Mom," Nessy called from across the way. She scooped up her son and sat him in the chair she was in. "Come with me to get some more marshmallows. These little animals are almost done with the ones we have."

"We're not animals," Jacob Jr. protested with a scrunched nose.

"Not yet," Jacob remarked quietly, winking at Nessy.

Bella looked over at Carlisle and their hands parted.

"Go," Carlisle said to Bella with a little laugh.

Bella stood up and trailed her daughter into the house. She immediately began rummaging through cabinets in the kitchen until she found what they were looking for.

Marshmallows!" Bella tossed them to Renesme and headed toward the back screen door.

"Wait, Mom.."

"Yeah?" Bella stopped and looked at her daughter. "What is it?" She raised her eyebrows, "Are you.. like.. pregnant?"

"What? No!" Renesme laughed, "I think I would have told you at the spa this morning if I was."

"Okay.. then what is it?"

"Do you ever think about.. you know.. maybe finding love again?"

The question caught Bella off-guard. She looked in a hundred different directions and didn't immediately answer. How could she answer such a loaded question?

"I don't want to make you upset, because I know how much you loved Dad. I just.. I want you to be happy. You deserve to be."

"I'm happy, Ness." She breathed the words out and leaned gently back against the counter.

"Yeah but.. something is just.. missing."

"Yeah it is," Bella agreed, but quickly added. "I don't want to talk about this right now."

"Okay, I'm sorry," Nessy said, but couldn't help herself. "What about.. what about.. Carlisle?"

"I think he's in a similar situation."

"No, I mean.." she pronounced the words differently, "What about Carlisle?"

Bella pressed her eyebrows together. "What about him?"

Renesme shrugged. "I mean.. it's there anything there.. at all?

"Huh?" She wasn't following.

"Between the two of you."

"Me and Carlisle?"

"Yeah."

"No." Bella shook her head. "We're.. close. It's just.. that's it."

"You haven't had this glow on your face since before I can even remember."

"I'm happy to see him," Bella agreed.

"Look, Mom.." her daughter closed the gap between them, "All I'm saying is that.. you should give yourself permission to love again. You deserve that type of love again. It doesn't mean anyone would be taking Dad's place. You're allowed to experience a new love; a unique love to anything you've experienced so far."

"Yeah, I don't know Ness.."

"I can sense it with him, too, ya know?"

Who?"

"Carlisle."

Bella let out a huff of a laugh. "Did you and Jacob do a few shots before the bonfire?"

"I think you know exactly what I'm talking about." Nessy took a marshmallow from the bag and popped it into her mouth as she headed for the back door. She turned just before she went out, "You just won't admit it to yourself."

Nessy smirked and wandered back out leaving Bella standing alone in the kitchen with her arms folded across her chest. She shook her head and let out a quiet laugh before heading back outside.

When she rejoined the group, sitting beside Carlisle again, she felt the immediate warmth that had been nonexistent in his absence. It made her think of him leaving; of her not being able to eventually go back and maintain that feeling when he left for good. She felt.. sad.

"Everything okay?" Carlisle asked, prompting Bella to snap out of the daze she was in.

"Oh. Me? Yeah. I'm fine." Bella huffed a breath. "Hey, do you think before you go you could leave me the address of the new house? Well, not new. New to me, though. Where you're all living now. I know it's up north."

"Of course, Bella." Carlisle grinned. He couldn't contain it. "When are you thinking of coming up?"

"I don't know," she said. "Maybe next week?"

Carlisle grinned. "We could head back that way together next weekend."

Yes! Bella needed this. She needed an escape from Forks just as bad as Carlisle needed to revisit it. Plus seeing everyone else would be lovely - to say the least. Bella silently scolded herself in her mind for not visiting more often. It wasn't like opening an old wound, it was helping old wounds heal.

"That sounds great," Bella gushed. "Yeah.. Really great."

"Great." Carlisle gave a little wink and Bella looked down, ticketing her hair behind one ear again. She had butterflies in her stomach. And she didn't know why. Was it because of how much she and Carlisle had been through - together but separately? Was it because he somehow reminded her of Edward? Was it his naturally comforting side? Part of the grieving process? All of the above?

All Bella knew was that, right then, something felt different to her. She didn't know if it would wear off in the morning, but right then she saw Carlisle in a whole new light. She felt.. attached.. possessive.. scared to lose him.

Yep. Things were happening again. They were happening in such a way that they were creeping up subtly on Bella. This wasn't the type of instantaneous romance like she and Edward had, or even how Carlisle and Esme were. It was gradual and layered with different ins and outs. It was very much grown up.

Bella didn't know it yet but it was like the forces around her were trying to whisper, here we go again!