Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

AN: Many thanks to the lovely TwiDi for cleaning up my mess :) My writing would completely suck without her fixing it up pretty for all of you. Check out her story You Don't Know Anything *hint it's in my favs ;)* !

If you're a fan of Homecoming, there is a poll on my profile. One of my readers wanted me to do interviews with the characters, I just wanted to see if anyone is interested in that.

Also a note I am considering putting Casualties of Desire on hiatus, the last chapter I received a quarter of the reviews as the one before, and that one received also received less than the one before that. I'm thinking people just aren't that interested in the story.

Oh and umm the next chapter for this may or may not have why Edward was in the room with Alice, and some other secrets reveal. Want to find out? Inspire me ;). *insert evil laugh here* lol.

Chapter 7

Without a word between them Rose and Bella traveled back to their childhood home. Both had too much on their minds to be able to make conversation with the other. As they walked up the stairs of the back porch, Rosalie had the strangest chill go up her spine and Bella stopped cold in her tracks. The man sitting in her mother's kitchen made Bella want to run the opposite direction.

"James?" Bella's ex-boyfriend sat at the kitchen table with her mother and child.

"Isabella, darling, how are you?" His smooth cultured voice that she once found so stable and comforting now made her feel ill.

"Oh, never better, James. You've done me the greatest favor letting everything out of the bag like that." She said with fake sincerity.

"I'm glad, now don't you think it's time to come home, Isabella? This game has gone far too long."

"You don't get it, James. And, I'm not going to explain it to you with Emma in the room." Bella's brown gaze took in the female miniature of Edward and grinned. "Hey, sug, what's up?"

"Uncle James says we are gonna go back with him to Jacksonville." Emma sighed, "I don't wanna go, Momma. I wanna be here with you and Daddy." Emma looked behind her Mom and grinned, "Daddy!" Emma launched herself into her father's open arms.

"Emma, my beautiful one, how are you?" Edward asked his daughter, not noticing the other man yet.

"Fine Daddy, but don't want to go back to Jacksonville." Emma sighed again like the weight of the world rested on her tiny shoulders.

"Why would you worry about that, munchkin?" Looking up from his daughter Edward took in the blond man sitting at the Swan family kitchen table. "Don't worry, kiddo." He then whispered in Emma's ear. "Go upstairs and play, let the big people talk." Putting the child down he noticed she looked scared to leave.

"Daddy," she whispered and Edward bent low to hear her out, "don't let him hurt Mommy again." Then the child ran for her life, leaving him pondering over what she had just said.

"Edward, would you like some coffee dear?" Renee asked him.

"I think I will help myself to a cup, thanks." He winked at the older woman; then proceeded to show James how very much at home he was in this house. Going straight to the right mug cabinet; then going to the right cabinet to get the substitute sweetener and after that pulled open the right drawer for the spoons. Edward hid a grin. He was so glad Renee Swan never changed things in her kitchen.

Bella hid her own smile, she knew Edward well enough to know what was going on. She peaked at James and he had a distinctly put out look about him. In the time that he and Bella had dated, James had never been in her Mother's kitchen, or her home. He had no idea where Bella's old bedroom was, let alone where to find a fork in this house. Edward's little display pissed James off, because he knew he could never have that kind of familiarity here.

"Bella, want some, love?" Edward asked her with a raised sexy eyebrow.

"Please." She told him softly. She watched as Edward poured her coffee black and handed her the cup with exactly one teaspoon of real sugar in it. The way that Bella had taken her coffee since she'd first sipped it from her Daddy's mug as a young girl around Emma's age. "Thanks." Bella thanked Edward politely; the rotten man had the nerve to wink at her.

"Not too sweet, not to bitter, just like you, my Bella." Edward aid in a fake Irish brogue and kissed the tip of her nose. What the hell is he up to? Bella thought to herself. Renee shot her daughter a confused look, which her daughter returned.

James grew more irate and was so red in his face that Bella worried they'd have to call an ambulance for his blood pressure. James was trying to get his own way. And here, his ex-girlfriend, was all cozy with a man she had always claimed to hate. He wasn't a happy man.

Rose came in a few moments later, after getting Emma settled upstairs. She took in her Mother and sister looking baffled, Edward looking decidedly smug and James looking really pissed off.

"Edward, your pretty boy lackey is standing on the front porch looking for you." Rose told Edward in an offhanded manner.

"Rosalie, dear, didn't the poor man want to come in?" Renee inquired of her youngest child.

"He asked if Edward was here, which to me was so dumb because Edward's car is in the drive. I said yes and he just stood there so I shut the door in his face." Rose said simply, "Edward, I think he's maybe slow. Then again, he is a man." Rose gave a short laugh and looked at James, "Kent, you're still here?" Calling James by his last name, then she turned to Renee. "See, Momma, men are slow." Winking at Bella, she wondered back into the living room where her niece was playing. Privately, Rose could admit that Emmett McCarty was a stud. The perfect male body and he unnerved her. But no one else, especially not him needed to know that.

Bella walked out and let Emmett in, apologizing for her sister's rudeness. Bella wondered to herself what it was about Emmett McCarty that made her sister act out like a third grader? All beat up a person you're getting a crush on so they'll notice you. He was attractive in the way to handsome for his own good way, a little too bulky and bearish for Bella's taste. He was nowhere near Edward in looks or pure sex appeal.

"Bella," James grabbed her arm as she went to walk through the kitchen doorway, "we need to talk, in private." His eyes were wild and were reminding her of that night she wanted to forget.

"James, the only talking I will be doing is through my lawyer." She threatened. She jerked her arm lose and glanced at Edward who was propped up on a stool that was up against the kitchen island. He was still in pain but Bella could tell there was no way he'd let James know. She could also see his anger at James for touching her.

"Bella, why don't you get Mr. McCarty some coffee?" Renee said trying to keep the peace in the room.

"Please, call me Emmett, Mrs. Swan." Renee beamed and told him to call her Renee.

"Cullen should get his own damned guest coffee." James stated coldly. Bella snapped.

"Mind your own damned business; and get the hell out of my home. You belong in Jacksonville, not here. This is where I belong, where Emma belongs." Bella had ice dripping from each word. She could sense Edward ready to beat the shit out of James. In her mind's eye she could see the headlines and herself having to go into hiding with Emma to avoid the media.

"You, bitch, it's always been about him hasn't it?" James grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. The other two men jumped up and came forward ready to remove James.

"Kent, get your hands off." Edward's voice ripped through Bella like a bullet threw the heart, the tone was that deadly.

"Awe… now, pretty boy, I have her now, you tossed her away, remember?" James taunted, "then again, why should I want your leftovers? A man's ego can only take so much." Bella realized then that James was drunk. When he laughed the scent of cheap scotch drifted into her nodes. "Couldn't even do anything right. She'd pretend, give that small smile of pity; and regret. Hell, I wasn't even allowed to know who Emma's father was. Started thinking Bella had been rapped till that night." James looked into Bella's eyes, bitterness and a need for revenge lit his pale blue orbs.

"James, just go, please." Bella whispered.

"You'd like that. You'd love for me to go. That way you can keep your precious control and Cullen never knows the truth. Like if his song or name was mentioned you'd flip the channel. That whenever he came to town in concert you'd make trips out of town. Afraid of being that close to him, hmm?" James was tormenting her and he was enjoying it.

Bella cautioned a look at Edward who was torn between wanting to know what James had to say and protecting me.

"James, just leave, we both know you are drunk and you'll regret this when you're sober." Bella whispered again.

"The only thing I regret is letting you run rough shoulder over me for too long."

"Liar, you always did whatever you wanted. Denying you knowledge that had no bearing on our relationship at that time was not controlling you!" Bella yelled.

"Bitch, screamed his name every damn time we got close to being intimate. I couldn't even have sex with my girlfriend; you'd pull away every damn time. When kissing got out of hand you'd moan his fucking name. No bearing on our relationship, my ass." James screamed back.

Bella fell to her knees crying. She held her hands to her face trying to push back the tears. So many times she had tried to move on, tried to be more with James. Green eyes and soft kisses haunted her. Her body only wanted Edward's.

"The worst was when you slept. A little nap on my sofa or yours, after a long day and I'd just wait… Sometimes, it was more interesting than watching TV. Whether it was the sweet 'I love you' dreams, the erotic ones with you moaning his name, or the nightmare where you cried your fucking eyes out; no matter what the dream was, your face… no matter what the dream was… it was alive, filled with emotion. I knew you weren't dreaming about me. Emotions never came into our relationship, did it? The tears running down your cheeks, going on and on about not being able to find him, dramatic as hell, Bella." James said mockingly.

"You are full of crap, Kent." Rose said emerging from the doorway. "She was probably crying because you beat her to a pulp then blamed her for it. Emma has been telling me the most amazing story." Rosalie paused for dramatic flair, "about this guy who used to be nice, then he turned into a mean monster; smacking Bella out of the blue and threatening her with newspaper reporters or even with telling Edward himself. My little niece picked up a lot more than she let on. Though, my sister must have grown tired of being a victim because she left."

Bella moved over and was now being cradled in her Mother's arms. She was sobbing out of control and embarrassed as hell. All the bad, all the misery was coming to the forefront of her mind. On the other side of the kitchen, Emmett was restraining Edward, who was trying to get to James. James on the other hand was furious and glaring at Rosalie.

"Why, James? Why hold on when you could tell it was over? Didn't you care that your girlfriend was only with you because you forced her and intimidated her? Where is your pride, man?" She laughed in his face. Her beautiful face was full of contempt and she carried a need to lash out at least one of the men who had harmed her sister.

"Bitch!" James roared and whacked her across her face. Chaos broke out then. Emmett jumped on James and began beating the crap out of him. Renee dialed 911 and Bella rushed to Edward, holding him back so that he didn't get arrested for assault and also holding him because he felt safe. Edward was struggling with himself. Part of him wanted to get a piece of James himself, the other didn't want to let go of the piece of heaven in his arms.

Chief Ward, an old family friend, Rosalie's Godfather and one time deputy to the late Chief Swan, came personally to the house. Coming through the backdoor; pulling Emmett and James apart. Ward's two officers cuffed both men and then turned to walk them to the car. Rose followed them with protests of Emmett's arrest.

"Edward, you'd better get me a lawyer." Emmett said on his way out the door. Looking over at Bella, Edward winked.

"I know the best in town." Taking out his cell he called his father to meet them at the station.

Bella and Edward took a moment to check on Renee and Emma. Making sure that their daughter was still snug in her bed for a nap and had not overheard the chaos that the adults had just been involved with. Bella and Rose then joined Edward in his rental car to go to the police station.

"Why do I feel like I'm on an episode of Springer?" Rose mumbled and the other two burst out into a boisterous laugh.

As they pulled into the station's parking lot, Bella caught sight of Carlisle Cullen for the first time since she returned. He hadn't aged a bit. Standing over at his dark green Mercedes, leaning against it like some well-aged male model. Bella mentally calculated that he had to be in his mid to late fifties, if not early sixties at this point, yet still looked around forty. Bella was happy to see him smile at her and was warmed when he came and hugged her. Bella's heart contracted when he hugged her, her thoughts filled with her own Dad. Oh, Daddy, I miss you so. Carlisle's hug was so paternal; it was hard not to think of Charlie.

"Isabella, it is about time both you and my Granddaughter returned home where you both belong. Esme and I cannot wait to meet Emma." Carlisle looked at his oldest child, "Edward, what exactly have you gotten into this time?" Carlisle tried to sound stern but his grin refused to stay off his face. His internal joy at his son finally being home, bringing along his grandchild and the chance of Edward finally reconciling with the girl, woman now, that he always belonged with. The way that Edward was leaning on Bella told him all he needed to know.

"Emmett beat the crap out of Bella's ex-boyfriend after he slapped Rose around." Edward said trying and failing to sound like a street thug. Edward grinned back at his father. Years ago they had made peace, now they were a lot closer than they had ever been.

"Hmm… let's go see what Ward is charging them with; then we'll handle this whole boyfriend problem." Carlisle told the trio before him. He was already thinking of ways to keep this ex boyfriend out of Bella's life forever.

Inside jail, Emmett sat with his hands handcuffed behind his back. He had sworn he would never be in this position again. He'd promised his Mom years ago that he'd never get arrested again. Hell, in the past ten years he hadn't even had a parking ticket. Now, here he sat almost thirty one years old, handcuffed and being booked on assault charges. All because a sassy blond who needed some sense knocked into her, had gotten smacked by her sister's ex-boyfriend. Why had seeing Rosalie Swan get hurt made him feel so violent, when he'd seen worse things happen to people? Things hell of a lot worse than one smack across the cheek and he had never reacted then. Thinking about it, he decided it wasn't something he was sure he wanted to know.

"Edward, are you ok?" Bella looked at Edward, his lips white from pressing his lips together. He was trying to keep all signs of pain away.

"Yes, love, are you?" He asked through clenches teeth. His ankle was killing him, but Bella was already worried enough, she didn't need to worry about his ankle as well.

"I'll live." She told him simply.

"You'd better. I'm not through with you yet." He warned and a chill went down her spine. Though his wink made something else tingle within her.

Carlisle went into the room with James Kent. Rosalie had briefed him on the emotional blackmail he had put Bella through to keep her with him. She explained about the physical abuse and also how this fight started at the Swans' home. Carlisle was determined to handle this bastard himself.

"Mr. Kent?" Carlisle asked, but didn't wait for an answer, "I'm Carlisle Cullen. I am a lawyer." Kent's eyebrows rose, but he remained silent, "I can get you out of here all charges dropped, or… I can get you lost in the system. Simply put; your life is now in my hands."

"I'm assuming you want something for my freedom?" James asked the older man sarcastically.

"You are smarter than you look, James." Carlisle looked at the man directly in the eyes. "First, Bella. You leave and never contact her or anyone in her family again. Next, you drop charges against McCarty for assault. Last, you will sign a confidentiality agreement protecting all of us." James went to argue, but Carlisle cut him off. "Do this; and you walk free and get twenty five thousand dollars wired into your bank account."

"Done." James' greed overcame him. He was getting the better end of the deal anyways, he thought. Who needed a damaged woman and a kid that wasn't even his to raise. And pretty boy Cullen still wouldn't get Bella. James knew how cold his ex could be from experience; and how she could never forgive anything.

"I'll be back in an hour with the agreement and we'll get you out of here as soon as that is done. Know that if you break it, I will take everything you own, I will make you wish you were never born." Carlisle was a shrewd business man as well as a damned good lawyer. He knew this money was well spent, that the greedy bastard in front of him would be more concerned about the loss of his own money, than revenge. He walked out of the cell ignoring the offending man completely after saying this.

"Dad?" Edward looked at his father who looked like… well, he looked like he single-handedly just won the Super Bowl.

"Fixed." Carlisle said and walked over to Ward to get Emmett's release started.

Ward quickly went into James' cell and got him to sign the paperwork to drop all charges against Emmett. He then processed everything so that Emmett's arrest looked like it never happened. He wondered though if the Cullens knew that Mr. McCarty had quite the record in his past?

AN2: Reviews=inspiration.