A/N - I'M SORRY IT'S TAKEN ME SO RIDICULOUSLY LONG TO UPDATE ! I DID NOT DIE ! Please don't hate me !!!!!

I really am sorry, but I went back to school and things got really hectic and there's some personal stuff going on that I'd rather not talk about if you guys don't mind, which is why I haven't updated. Updates will be more regular from now on, I swear to have at least one chapter up every week. That was my new year's resolution, yes I was thinking about you ! A really late Happy New Year to everyone ! Now, I may not have been updating, but that doesn't mean I haven't been writing, I've filled about 2 A4 refill pad's by now, but I'm not happy about putting them up until they're complete and fully edited, there's about 6 stories in total and 2 one shots and there are some more that are just in the out-lining phase. I just hadn't time to type or post this or anything else. I'm going to wait and finish posting this and then edit everything !

This chapter is dedicated to all the new readers, especially those who were nice enough to leave me reviews !

As we neared the house I stopped, Edward turned to look at me.

"Bella, what is it ?" I breathed deeply before answering, I didn't know how to phrase this without causing him even more pain, pain an angel didn't deserve.

"Edward they're …"

"Yes ?"

"They're not going to be happy with you, … or me for that matter." I sighed, my face downcast. We were both silent for a few moments. Then he murmured, quietly, almost to himself, " I still can't believe it."

My head snapped up, I couldn't bear to hear the pain and self hatred evident in his voice. "What ?" I questioned hesitantly.

He looked at the ground as he spoke, his voice barely audible, " I just can't believe that you're still here, that you're not mad at me and that you don't hate me. As he said the last part his voice was filled with so much pain that my heart wrenched. I pulled myself away from the strong arms that bound me tightly to his chest and looked straight into his eyes.

"Edward, I could never hate you," I said softly, " You're a part of me, I couldn't hate you, I love you too much."

He pulled me back against him, burying his face in my hair, "What did I ever do to deserve you ?" he whispered.

I smiled against his neck, "I think it's the other way round."

He was breathing deeply, as if committing my scent to memory, to heart.

Between breaths, laughing lightly, he replied, "Same old Bella, you still don't see yourself at all clearly." I pressed a chaste kiss to his shirt covered chest, "Edward ?"

"Mhmm ?"

I didn't want to leave his side but Ciara really would be frantic by now.

"Edward, I really should let Ciara know where I am, she'll be worried. "You're right," he sighed.

"Edward," I tried again, explanations to my family would not be pleasant and I refused to cause him any more pain, he'd suffered too much already.

"I really think I should go alone."

"Bella," he said firmly, a fierce, determined expression dominating his perfect features, " this is my fault, I have to deal with the consequences."

I could tell by the glint in his eyes that there'd be no reasoning with him. Stupid stubborn vampire.

"Fine," I relented, "just let me have ten minutes ? Please ? It's not a good idea to ambush them with this, just let me tell, them that you're here and explain a little," I pleaded.

He sighed, "Fine, but I'm waiting here, I'll hear everything." "Alright," I grumbled. I'd have to keep everything as quiet as possible. Though keeping Jen quiet would be incredibly difficult.

Ok, more like impossible.

Then I had an idea, "Why don't you go hunting," I suggested. He smiled mischievously, as if sensing my anxiousness to be rid of him, at least until this next conversation was over, and my intentions of distracting him from what I was certain would be a big, unpleasant, loud and possibly violent scene.

He gently pressed his lips to my forehead before answering.

"Fine, I'll hunt, but you should know, I just ate."

"Mountain Lion ?" I laughed, trying to prolong my time with him, and remembering what he once told me about the Cullen's individual and "indicative" preferences.

"Yeah, they're in season," he replied laughing gently.

I couldn't bear to walk away from him just yet, then, as if reading my mind, he asked, "What's your favourite ?"

I grinned, remembering my last hunting trip with Jen, "Mountain Lion," I replied.

"Really ?" he asked, his eyes lighting up with happiness at our similar … tastes.

"Yeah." I smiled up at him, becoming momentarily distracted as his smouldering topaz eyes met mine.

He released his hold on my waist but his grip on my hand tightened as I tried to pull my hand free.

I looked up at him expectantly. Edward raised my hand to his lips, placing a tiny, feather-light kiss in my open palm.

My skin tingled pleasantly beneath his lips. Then he took a step away from me, "Ten minutes," he reminded me, "You'd better hurry."

I turned quickly and took off running, shooting one last wistful glance back at him.

I felt odd as I ran, like an ache had suddenly come over my indestructible body, one that disappeared while I was in his arms, when we were together.

My arms felt strangely empty.

I sprinted quickly through the remaining trees and was inside the house in seconds, a personal record, though not much of a feat considering that so far I'd only left the house to hunt, shop and attend one day of school.

I closed the door gently, trying not to startle anyone. But they were already in the hall, Ciara was holding a stack of fluffy white towels, both she and Lucy seemed unusually chirpy while Jen seemed more morose than usual.

Ciara hurried over to me as I closed the door, she immediately wrapped me in a huge bath sheet and set about towel drying my hair. She steered me into the living room, sitting me in an armchair by the fireplace.

Lucy and Jen followed us in.

It was time.

I summed up my courage and took a deep breath.

"Mom, I have to tell you something …You remember I told you about Edward Cullen ? Well, he … we … well-"

"Bella, honey, we already know," Ciara said happily, still rubbing at my hair.

"What ?" I shouted, then froze.

Ciara came to stand in front of me, taking one of my hands in both of her delicate ones, and smiling kindly at me.

"Bella your friend Alice called, she explained that her brother is back, and judging by the look on your face when you came through the door, I'm guessing you two are together, she explained that her visions were all saying that you'd be together, but that they're not set in stone. I must say, that girl has some gift !"

I was stunned.

I was unable to do anything but gawk stupidly at her.

Lucy giggled at my expression. I swung round to face her, she was leaning back into the sofa, a huge smile on her face.

Ciara and Lucy had accepted us, this was almost too good to be true. There was only one more person I needed to appease.

I slowly turned to look at Jen, who was sitting quietly beside Lucy. Funny, I'd expected screaming and threats.

How would she react ? Surprisingly, a soft smile was playing on her lips. Then I turned to Ciara, who'd sat down on the loveseat. I couldn't believe they hadn't yelled at me yet !

"Aren't you … mad … at me ?" I managed to choke out.

Ciara smiled, "Honey we just want you to be happy, and if he's what makes you happy then so be it, you've been alone for far, far too long.

Lucy added, "Yeah Bella, we love you no matter what !"

Then Jen spoke up, "Bella, you're my sister and I love you. You are the most amazing, patient, kindest person I've ever known and you've spent the last hundred years depressed and alone." I must have looked ready to argue because she cut me off, " Don't even say it Bells you can not call what you've been, happy, and you deserve happiness my sister." If my tear ducts had been in working order I would have been bawling at that point. I hurtled myself at her as she jumped up to hug me. We were clinging together, dry sobbing.

Of all my adopted family, despite the fact that Jen and Lucy were twins, Jen and I were always the closest. While neither of us were exceptionally talkative, we understood each other, I understood that she needed silence sometimes just as she sometimes needed the distractions of video games., and she understood me.

Reading between the lines of what she'd told me over the years as she'd grown to trust me, she and her father had been extremely close, she'd tried to save him, but he'd been swept away by the current before she could reach him, as had her mother, Lucy had been unconscious because of the pain.

She never really shared more with me than that, but I knew she blamed herself for their deaths, that it had been her idea to go camping as a family before school started that September, but that was all information I'd gleaned from Lucy, Lucy didn't blame her, she hadn't wanted to go camping in the first place. From what I'd seen after their change, Lucy was the perky cheerleader type during her human life, she hadn't changed much, except for the whole cheerleading thing, her inhuman strength and speed made that impossible. Something that had pissed her off more than being changed. She missed her parents but hadn't been aware of their final moments and in the beginning of her new life her memories of them were already vague, so she didn't have as much of a problem adjusting without them. She didn't suffer because of their absence.

Unlike Jen. Jen had been there, had watched helplessly as her parents were swept away before her eyes. And remembered it all, though the memories were fuzzy compared to our vampire memories, they were there. And she blamed herself for it. All of it.

She'd never spoken to me about most of it and I'd never pressed her, knowing it wouldn't help. But still I knew.

She'd known about Edward, from what I'd told Ciara. I'd allowed Ciara to tell them, I just couldn't do it myself. But we all became even closer after that, our relationships as sisters, in Ciara's case as parent, taking on whole new meanings, new understandings.

And now, here they were, my patched together family, four once broken hearts bound together. My crazy, perky shop-a-holic sister, my gentle, loving mother, my fierce, loyal, overprotective sister and best friend. And they accepted me, when my heart was broken they tried their best to put it back together and now they accepted Edward and my choice to be with him.

The sobbing continued. Until Jen declared, "I'll try to like him for your sake Bells but if he hurts you, I swear, I'll kick his ass from here to the Volturi !" I opened my mouth to speak but no sound came out, the lump in my throat was too big. Instantly Ciara was by my side wrapping her arms tightly around me. After a few moments I managed to whisper an almost inaudible "Thank You".

Lucy then decided that there had been enough crying for one day and screamed "Group Hug !" Which in our home means, "Everyone Jump On Bella !" There was a whooshing sound and before I'd understood what was happening, I was lying on my back in a tangled heap with my mother and sisters on top of me under an upside-down couch. We were laying there for about five seconds before the laughter started.

A quiet knock on the door interrupted us. Lucy had the couch up righted in an instant and was immediately at the door. Leaving Ciara, Jen and I lying tangled on the floor. "Jeez, I can feel the love sis," I thought sarcastically.

We were just on our feet as Edward entered, his shoes squelching against the pale pine hardwood floors, his wavy bronze hair dripping wet, hanging into his eyes.

His presence lit up the room.

His eyes searched the room as he entered and immediately met mine. I walked straight to him and took his hand in mine, he wrapped his arm around my waist, tucking me against him. The atmosphere was tense, I think he expected yelling, as I had.

I was the first to speak, "Everyone, this is Edward, Edward this is my Mom, Ciara, and my sisters Jen and Lucy. I said tentatively, nodding at each person in turn. Edward smiled politely, "It's a pleasure to meet you all."

Ciara smiled, "It's very nice to meet you too Edward."

"Thank you, Ma'am."

She chuckled, "Call me Ciara please dear, oh and do sit down." We all sat, Edward pulling me so close to him that I was almost on his lap.

"Bella, can I ask what happened," asked Ciara quietly. Edward's grip on my waist and hand tightened. I bit my bottom lip, tugging the flesh between my teeth, trying to figure out how I could I explain this ? I knew I owed Ciara some answers but did we have to do this now ? I guess so. I opened my mouth, having no idea what I was going to say, but then Edward spoke up, "Ma'am this happened because I was an idiot," he paused, it was time to interrupt, "Edward, no you-" He turned his head to look at me, his eyes were filled with unrelenting pain, "Bella, please don't lie to me to comfort me, what I did was wrong and pigheaded and stupid." He switched his gaze back to Ciara and I tightened my grip on his hand, he had to this it seemed, "I'm sure that Bella has told you that we were together when she was human. I loved her, so much. But she was in danger from my world, from this world. She'd already been tracked by James," as he uttered the name a feral snarl sounded low in his chest, "and then we had a birthday party for her, she was opening presents, she got a paper cut, it drew blood and my brother couldn't contain himself, he tried to attack. She went home from that party with thirty stitches. She was in constant danger just being near me ! I decided to leave, with my family, to give her the chance of a normal human life. But I couldn't stay away, six months later … I returned I'd convinced myself that if I came back and Bella was happy, then I'd leave again, let her get on with her life, but in retrospect, even if you were happy I don't think I could have left again," he said softly, turning to look at me. "But when I showed up on Charlie's doorstep he told me that you'd been attacked and killed by a bear." His voice faded to a whisper on the last word. He continued, "Ma'am I can understand if you don't want me near Bella, if you hate me, but you should know that I love Bella more than anything in this world, and had I know that… that she…" He stopped, his voice strained, choking out every word.

I pressed myself tighter against him, rubbing soothing circles onto the back of his hand with my thumb.

He relaxed a little into my touch. Some of the tension leaving his body.

Then he said quietly, looking directly at Ciara, "I'll be here as long as she wants me to be."

Ciara looked shocked.

"What - How did you -" She choked out, completely perplexed.

I grinned, I couldn't help it, "Mom, remember I told you about Edward being able to read minds."

She stared at me, momentarily stunned, then visibly relaxed.

"Oh yes, sorry dear," She mumbled, staring as if transfixed for a moment at Edward before realising that she was staring and looking down abashed at her clasped hands.

Lucy looked embarrassed, while Jen seemed only mildly interested, gazing levelly at Edward with stony indifference.

He met her gaze with his own, then said quietly, still staring intensely at Jen, "Yes I do."

We were all staring at them at that point and I could tell that I wasn't the only one feeling confused judging from the looks on my mother and sister's faces.

Edward's body was tense, his stance rigid.

He shuddered slightly before saying, "I will never hurt her again, but you have my full permission to, er… kick my ass, should the need arise."

Ciara gasped in indignation, "Jennifer how dare you ! I know I raised you better than to speak like that !"

But Jen was grinning at Edward, barely paying any attention to our mother, she shot a quick nonchalant, "Sorry Mom," to Ciara before looking at me and saying brightly, "I like him, Bella."

Edward chuckled, pulling me even closer to him, his eyes were glowing, he radiated happiness, his lips spread into the crooked smile that I loved.

He brushed a kiss against my hair before getting to his feet and pulling me up with him. Then he said happily, "Ma'am do you mind if I borrow Bella for a while ?"

I elbowed him at that. He flashed a grin down at me before muttering in my ear, "We have to tell the others."

I couldn't help a grimace forming on my lips, there was only so much attention I could take for one day and the very probable likelihood of Emmetts teasing was kind of a discouraging thought, but if he wanted to go home … well at this point if he wanted to jump into the mouth of a volcano I would have followed. But that didn't mean I couldn't resist the torture, "You know Alice told them already." At this point my family had very subtly exited the room.

He leaned down, nuzzling my neck with his nose, his warm breath tickling me.

Then - "Isabella Marie Swan ! I'm insulted ! Do you honestly think that I can't keep quiet ?!"

We turned to see a beaming Alice clad in a fashionable green raincoat, tapping her foot impatiently on the floor before lunging at Edward and I.

I can't believe you two are back together !!" My hyper pixie-like best friend squealed as her tiny arms tightened round our necks. Her arms got steadily tighter as she bounced up and down on the balls of her feet, "Oh this is so great !"

Then she added sternly as she pulled away, "Now Edward you can't hog Bella ! We have a lot of stuff to catch up on !"

He wound his arms around my waist, clasping his hands and pulling me snugly against his chest, leaning his chin down on my shoulder. I tilted my head slightly, leaning it against his. "Mhmm. No way Alice, I'm not sharing, he murmured quietly, kissing the sensitive skin behind my earlobe, I could feel his lips curl into a smile as Alice pouted.

"Hey Alice, why'd you -" Jasper paused as he ran through the doorway, then his face broke into a wide smile, "Oh."

"Jasper what the hell are we doing here ?" Emmett skidded to a halt, leaving a trail of mud from the open front door to the spot he stopped in the living room.

It took a split second for him to spot Edward's arms around me and his eyes almost bugged out of his head, "Hell Yeah !" He yelled excitedly before grabbing us both in an enormous bear hug.

"Em … Air … Please," I gasped.

As soon as he let go of us, I collapsed back onto the couch gasping in unnecessary air as Edward laughed.

"Thanks Emmett," he muttered sarcastically.

"No prob little bro," Emmett laughed as he sat down.

Edward sat back down, pulling me onto his lap sideways.

Then I finally got a good look at everyone, Jasper was sitting with Alice perched on his knees, was smiling, Alice was beaming, almost bouncing on Jasper's lap. I hadn't noticed them re-enter the room but Jen was reclining against the sofa cushions, her eyes fixed on my face, I smiled at her, reassuring her that I was ok. She grinned back at me. Lucy was sitting beside her with Ciara sitting in an armchair nearest the fire.

Emmett was lying back in the chair near Edward and I.

I love that.

Edward and I.

My thoughts were interrupted when -

"Emmett McCarthy Cullen ! You did not just run off on me !" Rosalie stormed from the doorway.

She stalked into the room and threw herself onto the couch beside Edward and I.

There we go again.

"Rosie Baby, I'm sorry - I"

"We'll talk about this later Emmett, but lets just say you won't be having any fun for a month, ok ?"

"Rosie -"

"Emmett !"

"But !"

"Yes ?"

Her tone was icy, I was even scared, Emmet groaned and sank further into the chair, sulking.

She refrained from glowering at a pouting Emmett for a moment and turned to look at Edward,

"Oh you're alive," she said with false surprise, then turned to me, "Bella, why didn't you kill him ? Edward," she said turning to him, "You are so lucky, if it were me you'd be ashes by now."

"I'm a lucky man," Edward agreed, unsmiling.

A polite knock on the door interrupted their banter, Ciara was at the door in a heartbeat, ushering Carlisle and Esme into the living room.

"We're sorry to disturb you so late, or early as the case may be, Ciara. This is my wife Esme -"

"I'm very pleased to meet you Ciara, we don't mean to intrude but our children mysteriously disappeared during our hunting trip and this was the only logical place they would go, the fact that they all left very obvious trails helped too."

"Ahem," Edward coughed.

All three looked up sharply.

Esme's mouth was set in a stern frown, "Next time tell us where you're going, we thought something was wrong."

After a chorus of "Sorry Mom's" Carlisle and Esme sat down, settling themselves beside Ciara on the couch.

Esme's eyes immediately zeroed in on me sitting on Edward's lap, her face brightened, her lips turning up in a smile. While Carlisle focused on Edward, his face serious, Edward met his gaze, then said quietly, "Yes." Pulling me even tighter against him. They were beside us instantly, Esme pulling me into a tight hug, quietly murmuring "Thank You" in my ears, while Carlisle hugged Edward and then turned to me and wrapped his arms around me.

Esme was the first to speak after she had hugged Edward, beaming.

"You're moving back in now, I presume ?"

"Only if that's ok with you Mom."

Esme smiled widely, wrapping her arms back around him.

He let Esme go and then sat back down, pulling me back onto his lap, keeping my hands enveloped in his which were wrapped around my waist, murmuring "I love you," in my ear, quietly enough that only I heard.

I couldn't help but smile and whisper it back.

Because it was true. He loved me.

A/N - Now I know I don't deserve it, considering how long I was M.I.A, but I would really appreciate reviews. Just to tell me if you liked it, detested it or, dare I hope, loved it ? I'd just love to know if I've lost the ability to write anything even remotely good. Please ?

~Amy X