**Thank you so much for all the reviews. This, the third Chapter we get to see Edward again, but probably not the way you are expecting. Don't worry.. things will be clear soon enough. As always I don't own these two crazy kids. I just like poking them with a stick. Please review. ****

I landed in Forks a mere three hours after my ten o'clock departure, but the overcast sky gave it a dusk-like quality and made it seem as if I had lost the entire day in my travel.

Charlie met me in the terminal, the lines around his eyes deepened as a smile broke across his face when he saw me. "Welcome home Bells." he wrapped me up in a warm hug, no other words necessary to express his delight. His customary quick embrace lasted a beat or two longer than normal and I knew my father was elated.

"I missed you too Dad." I spoke into his flannelled shoulder, allowing my tears to absorb into the soft fabric before I broke contact.

He held me at arms length as he looked me over, his brows coming together as he scrutinized my appearance. "You've gotten taller."

I laughed, "Hardly Dad. Maybe an inch."

"Nope, at least two." the scowl turned into a smirk as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "Come on. Let's get going."

The drive back to Forks was quiet for the most part, neither of us needing to fill the silence with empty words. I watched as the greenery enveloped us, thickening as we got closer to the house. Pulling into our drive, I stepped out and breathed deep, stretching my arms wide.

Settling in was uneventful, and consisted of my father carrying my suitcases up the stairs and allowing me to unpack on my own. As took in the room I had spent the first five years of my life, it was comforting to know not much had changed.

My double bed centered on the far wall, dressed up by the new bedspread and sheets Charlie had bought to celebrate my homecoming. The wall that was opposite my bed held the door to my closet and my antique dresser with the mirror, the one that Emmett had tried to climb when I was five. It hadn't been able to hold his weight and I fingered the hairline crack on it's top drawer. The shelves that lined the wall to my left. They used to hold toys and books for bedtime, now sat empty awaiting their new tenants. Directly across the off-white lace curtains that hung around the very same window where Edward and I had knelt and tried to wish away my unwelcome departure all those years ago.

I heard a tapping on my window pane and walked over and lifted it open, leaning out slightly I noticed that I could almost touch the tree that grew at the corner of our house. In the ten years I had been absent the madrone had gained girth, it's thick branches less five feet away from my window sill. I chuckled as I thought that this tree was a delinquents dream. Too bad I had no intention of sneaking out anytime soon.

Walking away from the window I grabbed my suitcase and threw it on top of my bed to unpack. Opening my closet door I was ready to hang some of my clothing when a picture fluttered to the floor. It was Edward and I sitting in front of his piano. Tracing my finger over the creased photo I remembered the place that had been the site of much entertainment for Edward and I.

When the weather was too wet to play outside, which was often, our mothers would set up play dates at each other's homes. Being that my mother's idea of housekeeping meant doing the dishes only when we were totally out of utensils, I was regularly shipped off to spend time at the Cullen's.

Driving up the tree lined drive that first time, I had been wondering if my mother had gotten lost, a regular occurrence even in our small town, when my breath caught.

"Wow." I whispered.

"Yes baby, wow." I think I had heard a bit of awe in her voice as well, the structure before us was nothing short of amazing. My simple mind would have described the two story antebellum home as, a 'very pretty, very big, rectangle.'

Sure if you want to get technical, it had some distinguishing features. Like four giant columns, a massive balcony that hugged the entire upper level of the house. One that was lined with wrought iron railings formed from intricately twisting designs. And massive stone steps decorated with perfectly tended flower pots that led to the polished wrap around porch. But in my five year old mind all I could think was 'what a pretty white rectangle.'

That was the day this picture had been taken. Esme had taken our coats and had invited my mother to join her for coffee while I went to play with Edward. "I think he is the playroom Bella," she motioned to the hallway behind her, "at the end of the hall, behind the pocket doors." She caught my worried expression. "It's ok Bella you can't miss it, I promise."

Training my eyes before me I took a deep breath, and trudged forward. Reaching the end of the long hallway I could hear music wafting through the cracked doors. Tiptoeing to the small opening I peered inside to see where the music was coming from.

There in the middle of the room sat a grand piano, and on it's bench dwarfed by the instrument in front of him, Edward. He plucked at the keys with authority, brow furrowed and hunched over. Sliding the door fully open I stepped within the room. "Hi Edward."

His head shot up looking shocked at my presence. "What are you doing here?"

"Our moms planned a play date, so I came to play with you."

"You can play the piano?" My feet kicked the air in front of me as I swung my leg back and forth trying to hide my unease. "No, but we can play something else. Like a board game, or go fish!"

"I don't want to play other games."

"You don't?"

"No." As he spoke as his eyes narrowed.

"Oh, well what do you want to do then?"

"Play my piano." and with that he turned and started to play again.

I walked over and sat on the bench beside him. Deciding to make this solo a duet, I began to lower my hand to the keys.

"What are you doing?" he spat, "you can't touch the piano, this is my piano." Edwards nostrils flared as he began to breath heavily, he put his head in his hands.

"I- I'm sorry Edward. I just- I wanted," I wanted to cry. How rude of me, my mother always said to ask before we touched something of someone else's. And of course I wasn't allowed to touch his piano. Being that my musical prowess consisted of my mother's pots and pans, I was out of my league. "It's just that the music you were making was really pretty."

Edward's breath started to hitch as he dug the palms of his hands into his eyes and turned his back to me.

"I really liked it Edward, I thought maybe you could teach me but I should have asked I'm-"

"You want to learn to play?" His voice was a whisper.

"Yes! Oh really? Really would you teach me?" I was excited, maybe this play date could be salvaged, and I wouldn't have to tell my mother that I had been rude.

Edward turned around then pinching the bridge of his nose he began, "Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born on the 27th of January 1756-"

"Who? Wait, what wolf?"

"No wolf Bella, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart." Edward's cheeks had retained a red tint from his outburst but his voice was calm, and I was totally confused.

"I thought we were going to teach me to play the piano."

"We are. But we have to start at the beginning."

I had spent the rest of the day listening to Edward talk about different composers. I remember thinking that I didn't understand half of what he said, but these guys had really funny names.

I remembered when Edward mentioned Beethoven blurting out, "I know that one! That big brown dog that plays piano from the movie!"

Edward stared for a moment, "It's impossible for dogs to play piano Bella. They don't have the correct hand posture."

That is how most of our play dates had been spent. I would sit and listen as Edward would be my personal encyclopedia. It wasn't just classical music, Edward seemed to know everything about everything. From baseball to architecture, science to space travel, Edward would sit and give facts to go with whatever we were doing. I remember thinking that Edward was the smartest person on the planet. Never really minding to much that we weren't actually playing, I loved the way his eyes would sparkle when he would get to a particular part of his lesson.

Even when his mother would encourage Edward to allow me to choose our activity for the day, or that we go outside.

"Edward that's enough, remember what we talked about, no more lessons honey." Esme's eyes always were so warm even when she was scolding Edward, but I remember there being an underlying emotion that I couldn't place.

I smiled and put the picture on the corner of my mirror. Feeling a pull towards the Cullen's I looked outside at the setting sun. It had been eleven years, and there would be no way I could find their drive in the dark. It then hit me how silly I sounded. What if they didn't even live there anymore. Just because in my mind Edward had stayed in Forks awaiting my return didn't make it true. It was very possible they could have moved. Laying back on the bed I stared at the ceiling as I thought about the possibilities, "Tomorrow, my first day back at Forks. Welcome back Bella."