Summary: Months after the rest of the Cullens' return, and during the her senior year, Bella finds herself content but wary. With her future to think about and Victoria out to get her- tension is no stranger. And what happens when Edward finally returns- but his presence only complicates things?

" We'll get through this Bella, because we have each other."

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. Stephanie Meyer is the respective owner, I'm just fooling around with the characters.

Bella groaned as they entered the girls' bathroom, trying not to feel as upset as she did right then. Alice had brought her from the parking lot to the bathroom to talk, and so far she wasn't saying much of anything, just walked past her with her arms over her chest. It seemed like she was trying to figure what to say to, as her eyes were downcast.

And then finally, she spoke- clearing her throat. " I saw everything."

" So I've been told." Bella replied, and then Alice did something she didn't expect her to do right then.

She grinned, and approached her, taking either of her hands in her cold ones as her eyes beamed pure joy. Bella's eyebrows raised at this, and almost stumbled at the small vampire's pull when she took her hands tightly in hers.

" You told him you loved him."

Bella blushed.

"That's a big deal Bella." Alice added with a bright smile, and she giggled when Bella blinked her was so not what she expected to happen once they entered that bathroom. She had transformed from a seemingly skeptical, stern mother into some energetic, giggly school girl- which was actually the normal personality Bella had come to know.

" I... know." Bella replied, tilting her head in confusion. " I thought you were going top- scold me or something."

" Scold you?" She asked with a laugh. " Bella I'm happy for you! Everything you've been through and now you have someone that loves you very much."

" But I thought- you sounded so.. troubled earlier-"

" I didn't want to make a scene in front of the boys, so I had to pretend. You know how Emmett likes to make fun of me."

Bella averted her eyes with a laugh; that much had been true.

" I realized that you two really had feelings for each other we returned to you at the mansion. Emmett left us in Alaska to help you, a notion I had soon realized to be an act of love, and this confession only confirmed that you happen to feel the same way. In all honesty Bella, if you're happy with Emmett then I have no reason to be upset, or skeptical, even if he does agitate me sometimes to no end."

Alice pulled her into a hug then, and Bella wrapped her arms around her petite frame.

Well that went better than she intended it to.

" Thank you... Alice." She said with a grateful smile.

" Of course Bella. All I want for you is to be happy; we all do. I was unsure at first.. about your feelings for Emmett, only because.. when Edward left you didn't exactly break up properly, but in the end it is not my decision to make; and it's not my place to tell you who to chose; who you should be with." She replied, pulling away to look into her eyes.

" That's for Charlie and your mother to decide." She joked.

Bella snorted, but a large grin spread on her lips. " Just when you were starting to sound heartfelt."

" You know you're going to have to tell them now right? Especially Charlie." Alice told her matter-of-factly, raising her brow before turning to the mirror behind the sink nearest the door. Bella rolled her eyes at Alice's mention of her father by his first name. She was actually in truth, his favorite of the Cullen family, and she wasn't sure why.

Maybe it was her infectious bright smile, or that fact that she was absolutely flawless, and insanely wealthy compared to the small, plain town of Forks, Washington.

Charlie acted as though it didn't affect him much- but when you were in the presence of royalty, she knew he had to feel anxious, even if it was just a little.

She didn't have to fix much of her appearance, but Bella watched her as she smoothed a few pieces of her now short, dark brown hair; then reached into her purse to pull out a small makeup bag.

Bella recognized the label, with what Jessica had been flashing around school a week ago. Gucci.

Alice told her before that it definitely looked like a knock- off, but Jessica immediately told her otherwise.

They had been arguing about it for a couple of weeks, and Alice insisted every time that she was right, and deep down Bella didn't doubt her for a second.

She was an expert when it came to fashion, after all.

Bella leaned against a stall slightly. " I know."

" You never told Edward... that you loved him did you?"

Bella blinked, slowly shaking her head. " No." She replied, surprised. " I... guess not."

And that's when she realized.

That her relationship with Edward, wasn't really a relationship to begin with.

Even before he left, there were needs, wants- that he didn't seem to want to even fulfill.

They were on the rocks even before Jasper attacked her, and Edward leaving just.. finalized everything.

" I don't know why he's back exactly Bella. I still don't know how he got here without me seeing him- without any of picking up on his arrival." She turned around to face Bella after applying a light coat of lip gloss and dropped the small pouch into her purse- leaning against the sink.

"As a vampire it's not particularly difficult to track a vampire let alone realize when one is around. It's odd to me, and with the way he's acting so irrational to everyone- to Carlisle and Esme especially, it's just not right. It is not how we were raised to be, and it's getting to be intolerable."

" He resents us for leaving him to come back to you, and yet he's also back in Forks. " She explained, sounding extremely puzzled.

A shiver went down Bella's spine, and it was nothing pleasant.

Edward definitely looked pissed when she first made eye contact with him. She had never seen him look so upset in her life.

And his eyes; they were more dark than golden, and so cold.

Murderous even.

" Bella." Alice's soft voice shook her out of her thoughts, and she realized then that she was now standing right in front of her, her eyes gentle.

" I have a feeling.. that he's come back.. because of you- but I'm not too sure that he's... safe to be around right now. I want you to know that if you two do cross paths, to please just- be careful for me. He's not the same person he used to be Bella- and he seems really dangerous. He's keeping things from us and it's- just promise me, you'll be careful. Things just aren't the same... as they used to be." She muttered, averting her eyes as they started to look glossy, and Bella embraced her gently.

Bella sighed, blinking her own eyes.

Never did she think it would have to be this way.

" I will."

Author's Note: I don't have much to say, other than I really appreciate you guys taking time to alert this story and review.

Thanks so much for reading.

Review make me happy.