Disclaimer: As usual, we don't own it, not even a little…damn.

Authors' Note: Bemylullaby here! It's my week, I'm posting it for once…weird I know. :D Not going to say too much in the beginning…just gonna let you crazy kids get to is. Check below for some IMPORTANT information. Oh and Katie says it's her fault this is going out so late…her bad…she's the one that took FOREVER to edit. But we love her for it anyways right?

Let's skip ahead some time shall we?

"I wanna crash, I wanna fall
I wanna be somewhere in the middle.
Somewhere in the middle.
Something, it's better than nothing.
I just need a little
I just need a little cause
I Don't wanna be nowhere
But something's makin' me go there
Somewhere in the middle with you."
- The Middle by Demi Lovato


Bella's POV:

Soon after Jacob's impromptu visit it seemed to be things were falling back into place.

I started making more of an effort to spend more than a few minutes on the phone with Jacob in the morning and in the evening. I made more of an effort to call or text him more during the day as well.

Where Edward was concerned, we still spent just as much time together, if not more. The idea, the plan of just "being" was going...just going. I tried to not to put myself in positions where I would be vulnerable and I succeeded...most of the time. There were still times where I found myself lost in his green eyes, lost in the way his tongue would dart across his lips before he would place a simple, yet meaningful kiss on my lips.

A few months had passed and I felt like I was doing well juggling Edward and Jacob. Even though I wasn't sure why I felt like I had to, but I did. Edward was filling that void of my best friend that Jacob used to fill. Jacob was still my boyfriend and I loved him more than anything.

"Bella, Bella, Bella," Alice chimed dancing into the kitchen.

I looked up from the books I had sprawled out across the table. It was study time for Bella and Edward, something that recently became a staple in our lives. Edward ignored his sister's presence in the room and continued his furious scribbling.

"Yes, Alice?" I answered putting my pen down and shutting my book.

"What are your plans for Thanksgiving?"

"Um, I know my dad originally wanted me to fly up there, but it would be a waste of time, him and Billy always go fishing the day after Thanksgiving. Plus, I'm not sure I can get the time off for the entire weekend on such short notice," I said recalling the conversation I had with my dad last night.

"Bells, you gonna come home for Thanksgiving?" My dad said into the receiver.

I was putting off the issue, of Thanksgiving for a couple of weeks now. Charlie had been dropping hints here and there every single time I talked to him.

"Um, I'm not sure dad. I really don't have the money for a plane ticket and I don't wanna spend a day driving up there."

"I have some money saved up, I was gonna surprise you and get you a ticket to come up for winter break, but I want you to come home for Thanksgiving."

"Dad..." How could I do this without letting him down. "I'd rather come up for Christmas. Besides you and Billy always go fishing that weekend. You won't even be home for me to spend time with. And before you even offer, no I don't wanna join the two of you."

"But Bells it's been forever since you've been home. The gang misses you, Jacob misses you-"

"Dad I just saw Jacob a few weeks ago remember? He was here for a few days," I groaned. How could I forget Jacob's visit?

"Yes and it's unfair he got to see you and I didn't," he huffed. "I miss having you around, Bells."

"Dad, I miss you too. But you don't have to lie, I know you really miss my cooking."

"Well that too, but Bells, think about it, please."

"Dad, I can't. I don't think I can get the time off from work on such short notice. Why don't I just come up for Christmas? I'll stay all the way past New Years. Leave right before I have to get back to school. I was only planning on staying until right before New Years, but I'll stay longer. Just for you dad."

"Will you make me your Grandma Swan's cornbread for Christmas dinner?"

"I'll even splurge and make Grandma Swan's chocolate fudge I know you love so much, dad."

"Deal! Let me know when you can fly out and I'll book your tickets." I could hear the excitement and happiness in his voice.

"Alright, dad."

"So you're not going home?" Alice asked taking the seat next to me.

"No...I guess I'm not."

"Great," Alice smirked. "Get Thanksgiving off."

"Why?"

"Well, I happen to know you are an amazing cook."

"Oh, and how are you privy to this information?"

"Jacob might've mentioned it while he was down here. Something about stuffing and corn bread..."

"Yes, my Grandma Swan's recipes."

"Well, my parents are coming down for the weekend-"

"Mom and Dad are coming?!" Edward perked up, interrupting Alice.

"Yes, Eddie. If you would pick up your phone or call Mom once and awhile you would know."

"When are they coming? How long are they gonna be here?" Edward asked intently.

"They're coming the day before Thanksgiving and staying until Monday," Alice said before turning to me. "I was hoping you would help me cook dinner for Thanksgiving for everyone."

"Um..." I stuttered.

"Well, Rose is hopeless in the kitchen. Bella you know your way around the kitchen, I could really use your help."

"I don't know if I can get the whole day off..."

"Please Bella for me. My mom is dying to meet you."

Wait what?

"Your mom?" I gulped.

"Alice..." Edward groaned.

"What? Mom has heard so much about you, Bella, she can't wait to meet you."

"What has she heard?" I gulped suddenly I was a little scared of what the Cullens had said about me.

"Oh, nothing bad Bella," Alice brushed off. "But please, ask for the day off. I could use your help. It would be fun."

"Well..."

"Bella, please. Don't make me get Emmett in here begging. Thanksgiving is his favorite holiday, the food, he loves cornbread, Bella. You don't wanna disappoint Emmett."

"Who's disappointing me?" Emmett asked as he rounded the corner heading out the door.

"Oh, I'm trying to get Bella to help me and mom with Thanksgiving dinner. She has the recipe for her Grandma Swan's cornbre-"

"Bella you can make cornbread?!" Emmett exclaimed his eyes wide with excitement.

"Yes," I admitted. "I've been known to make a pretty fierce cornbread."

"Bella you have to! Please! You've made dinner and you're an amazing cook. Please Bella, please," Emmett begged.

"I just..."

"Bella there's no use in denying them. They'll just keep bugging you," Edward pipped up, shaking his head with a smile.

"Fine."

"Yes! Bella you are my hero. I've got to get to class, but you are my hero." Emmett smiled.

"Thanks, Bella, I'll let my mom know," Alice said getting up out of the chair, walking away.

I was starting to regret the decision I just made.

Thanksgiving Morning.

Ding, dong.

"Bella can you grab that?" Alice yelled from the bathroom.

Everyone was gone and it as a little weird having the dorm quiet. The boys were at some restaurant watching the game with Mr. Cullen, keeping out of our way. Rosalie was out with one of the girls she had class with and they had gone shopping. Leaving Alice and I to cook dinner.

I walked over to the door and opened it.

"Hi, you must be Bella," the woman on the opposite side of the door said.

Esme Cullen. Alice was definitely her daughter. Esme Cullen was exactly what I thought she would be.

She had that motherly air about her. She seemed like the type of woman that no matter what she worn, she would always look good in it. She carried herself like a true Cullen.

"Mrs. Cullen." I gestured for her to come in with a smile. I shut the door when she walked in.

"Please, call me Esme. Mrs. Cullen is my mother in law," she said with a smile before enveloping me in a hug.

"Okay," my voice trembled as I returned the hug.

"Well," she pulled away from our embrace and studied my face. "It's good to finally put the name to a face."

"I hope your children haven't said anything bad about me."

"Oh nothing bad, honey, all good." Esme offered me a smile. She looked around the dorm. "Speaking of children where are they?"

"Well-"

"Mommy!" Alice cried running out of the bathroom straight for Esme.

"Alice, honey, look at you." Esme twirled Alice around. "You are far too skinny. You move away from home and look at you."

"Mom..."

"Okay, okay, I'll stop. So, let's get started."

Alice had run to the store leaving Esme alone with me.

So far the conversation was light and general but I couldn't shake the feeling that Esme was waiting for the right moment to say something.

"So Bella, the kids tell me you're from La Push."

"Yeah, I grew up in Forks until I was seven, when my dad finally decided he needed to get out of the house he and my mom shared. That's when my dad moved down to the rez, his best friend lives down there."

"That's right your dad is Chief Swan."

"He is."

"How do you like living in La Push, Bella?"

"I like it. The coast is beautiful."

"Its just amazing that the kids never bumped into you before they came down."

"Yeah well you know, Jake and I hardly came into Forks. I went to school down at the rez, so..."

"Hmmm, that's a shame. And Jake is your...?" Esme asked curiously.

"Jacob is my best friend, my boyfriend."

"Oh...well..." Esme said with that tone of voice that Edward got when he didn't know what to say.

I think I was going to have a little chat with my roommates and find exactly what they've been telling their mother.

"Jake and I have known each other for years, since diapers. Our dads are best friends so naturally we were constantly thrown together. At first, our relationship was strictly platonic, but then one day, like overnight--everything changed. He's all I've ever known. We've been through so much together," I admitted.

I realized it had been awhile since I've talked about Jacob that way. Since his visit Jacob Black had been a sore subject around the dorm, and no longer with just Edward.

"Oh honey, that's so romantic. Like a movie," Esme smiled. "I'm glad you've found someone that you love, that makes you happy."

"Yeah," I sighed.

"That's how it was with Carlisle," Esme said with a smile. "We met in college and really, it was love at first sight. We had physics together, we were lab partners. He spent the entire semester trying to impress me. Frankly, if he would've just been honest with me in the first place, he would've saved himself a whole lot of trouble."

"That's romantic, Esme."

"Classic love story. You should ask Alice about her and Jasper's first kiss one time."

Edward's POV:

"God dammit, what the hell was that?!" Emmett yelled at the TV in the sports bar we were sitting in.

At the moment Emmett and Jasper were glued to the college game playing on the TV while I sat back at the table eating buffalo wings with my father.

"So how are your classes going Edward?" he asked.

"Good, the anatomy and physiology class I'm taking is kicking my ass."

"Ah yes," he placed his hand on my shoulder. "The joys of anatomy. Wait until you start taking your undergraduate courses."

"Oh, I'm looking forward to it," I scoffed rolling my eyes.

"So, Edward," my dad took a sip of his beer. "Tell me about this Bella your mother keeps talking about."

I nearly choked on the buffalo wing I was eating.

What had my mother said to him? What did she know?

I hadn't told her too much, but it was definitely not enough to tell my dad about.

"What about Bella? She lives with us. She's a nice girl."

"Just nice, Edward? Your mother says you have a thing for her."

A "thing"? This had Alice written all over it.

"Well..." I started to explain.

"Edward don't beat around the bush. I know there's something different about you, and I have a feeling it has something to do with Bella."

"Things with Bella are just a bit complicated," I admitted.

Complicated didn't even begin to explain it.

"Complicated? How so? You like her don't you? Or am I just jumping to conclusions?"

"No, no conclusions. Bella is amazing. She funny, she's smart. She makes me smile. Not to mention she's beautiful, naturally beautiful. The kinda beauty women spend hours trying to achieve." I could feel a smile creeping up on my face. I couldn't help it. Whenever I talked about Bella, thought about Bella I got that goofy smile on my face Jasper and Emmett always got when they talked about Alice and Rosalie.

"Bella is my best friend. We spend all this time together. It's crazy to even think that two people could get as close as we are in such a short period of time," I added looking at my father for some sort of indication of what he was thinking.

"She sounds amazing son. But what seems to be the problem?"

I sighed. "She has a boyfriend back home."

My words stung at my heart. The admission of the "complication" was always something I had trouble stomaching.

Before, Jacob Black was almost like a figment of my imagination. Bella talked about him, but it was like my mind refused to believe it was real. Then he was there, in the flesh. The competition.

"A boyfriend? Edward, what are you doing?" My dad asked, sounding a little disappointed.

"I don't know, Dad. I don't know." I buried my head in my hands.

"Well I hope she's worth it."

"Oh, trust me, she is."

"Something smells good like..." Emmett boomed as he unlocked the door, walking in. His eyes lit up when he realized what it was.

"Cornbread. Iz! Iz, where are you?"

"Emmett, don't you dare touch that bread!" my mother yelled from the dining room table.

She was sitting there with Alice, Rosalie and Bella. They were laughing and having a good time.

"Mom!" Emmett ran over to table practically tearing our mother out of her chair and pulling her into a hug.

"It's lovely to see you too, Em," she choked out.

I shook my head and walked over to Bella whose eyes had been locked on me since I walked in.

"La mia vita," I leaned in whispering in her ear.

"Yeah?" she looked up at me her big brown eyes staring deep into mine, a tiny smile playing on her face.

"Come on, and meet my father." I pulled her out of her chair, dragging her towards the door where my dad was standing.

"Well, well, well Bella it's lovely to finally meet you," My dad said holding his hand out for Bella to shake.

"Likewise, Dr. Cullen." Bella reached out and shook his hand.

"Carlisle, dear, this is the Chief's daughter," My mom said walking up behind us.

"The chief's daughter?" he looked over at me giving me a 'what are you doing son?' look and smiled. "As in Chief Swan's daughter?"

"Yes, sir, Charlie Swan is my father," Bella admitted proudly.

"Well ain't this a small world?"

Dinner was over and to say it went smoothly wouldn't be enough.

Emmett insisted on gracing us with the German he learned this semester. While Alice decided that she wanted to tell Bella falls down stories.

Now, Emmett and Jasper were on the kitchen with Rosalie and Alice cleaning up. Bella was sitting in the living room talking on her phone to her dad.

"Edward?"

I turned around to see my mom standing there.

"Hey, mom." I wrapped my arms around her petite frame.

"She's a great girl, Edward." She motioned over to Bella.

"She is," I admitted. "She's amazing."

"Edward be careful, please. Don't do anything stupid."

"What are you talking about?"

"Son, I know you. You get that goofy retarded smile on your face when she's around. I watched you all throughout dinner. You were constantly leaning over, whispering things in her ear. You'll walk past her and your hand will reach out and touch her. I like Bella, I do, but Edward you need to be careful. She has a boyfriend, don't do something stupid."

"Mom, I would never do anything like that you know me. As long as Bella is happy I'll be happy. I'll do whatever it takes to make her happy."

"And as noble as that is, you can't spend your entire life swooning over someone who belongs to another person."

"I know mom, I know."

God, did I know...

"Alright Dad, well I've got to get going." Bella stood up from her chair and started walking towards me. "I'll tell them you said hello." "Alright, Dad take care. Send Jake and Billy my love."

Bella hung up her phone and sighed.

"I love my Dad but sometimes he just doesn't know when to stop talking."

"Dear, he just misses you," my mother said with a smile. "I'm going to check on the the status of the kitchen."

She walked away and I wrapped my arms around Bella.

"How's your dad?"

"He's good," she sighed. "He kept going on and on about how he missed my stuffing this year. When I told him I made cornbread he sounded like something tragic happened."

"He's just trying to make you feel guilty." I brushed my fingers through her hair. I knew for a fact that this particular action was something that made her calm down.

"I know. It's just I feel horrible. This is the first holiday I've been away from him. It's little depressing, I'm glad I get to go home for Christmas."

"You're going home for Christmas?"

"I thought I told you." She pulled away from me. "Remember, it was the deal I made with my dad to get him to agree to letting me stay down here for Thanksgiving. I'll probably fly up to Washington the day before Christmas. Hopefully I'll get the time off. You guys are going home right?"

"Yeah we are, but we're flying out two days before Christmas Eve. You'll be here by yourself if you leave on Christmas Eve and the airport, lov-" I paused. Oh. My. Damn. I almost said love. I almost called her love. The L word. The term of endearment we're definitely not ready for. Almost did it. Shit...well, maybe she didn't notice.

Just pick it back up, Edward.

"The airport will be crazy." I added. I didn't like the idea of Bella flying by herself during the holidays.

"I'll be fine, Edward. I'm a big girl." she giggled. Her eyes looked pensive, thoughtful, almost as though she was going over the whole almost love slip-up.

"No, I'll talk to my parents and see if I can get my flight switched around so we can at least fly out around the same time if not the same flight. Bella I don't want you flying out by yourself or being here alone."

"Edward, you don't have to."

"I want to," I said, looking down at her.

"Edward..."

"Bella."

"You're not going to rest until I agree, are you?"

"Nope."

"Fine," she huffed. "You can fly out with me. I don't see the point though. I mean, you've already booked your tickets. It's just a bigger headache for you."

"La mia vita, it's fine. Let me do this for you. It's not a problem."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive, Bella. I would do anything for you."

And I really did mean it...anything.

Anything Eddie? *giggles* Well anyways, I told you I had more for you guys at the end and it's true...I have a WHOLE lot more for ya!

First: A bit of pimpage for you. Check out *clears throat* "The Girl Under The Bed" by nostalgicmiss, it's all sorts of EPIC..."Voices Inside My Head" by miztrezboo, my cher ami is epically amazing..."Brotherly Devotion" by goldentemptress, the continuation of her one shot for the Forbidden Love Affair Contest...and finally "Bloody Sexy Boys" by the amazing mischief-maker 1, it's all sorts of fucking wonderfulness. :D

Second: If you don't have me an author alert you don't know, but I've posted a "story" called "Fournikation Foundation Competitions". I'll be updating it everytime we have a new contest going on, like we do now. I suggest you go and check it out.

Finally: Speaking of author alerting...I suggest you do it anyways, because I have some things up my sleeve that will be coming to you in the near, near future. Nine Months In The Making is winding down and I have my new story ready to go. It's called "For Better For Worse" and I've got a bit of peek for all of you:

I brought my hand up to the door giving a nice, quick knock.

I hoped he was home and not pulling extra shifts at the hospital like he tended to do.

The door flew open and he stood there looking at me, a confused look on his face. He was shirtless wearing only a pair of flannel PJ bottoms, his hair was dripping wet.

"Bella? Is everything okay?" he asked studying my appearance.

My eyes must've been bloodshot from the few tears I shed on the drive over. My hair probably all sexed up still.

I didn't say a word.

I did what I came here for.

I ran straight into him, wrapping my arms tightly around his body. My head resting on his chest letting the smell of his after shave and soap envelope my senses.

He wrapped an arm around me as he took a few steps back allowing him to close the door.

"Oh Bella," he whispered combing his fingers through my hair. "Whatever it is, I'm sure it'll all work out."

I felt his lips press into the top of my head.

"Edward?" I sighed. Raising my head off his chest I looked up at him. His green eyes looking down at me.

"Yeah?"

"Love me."

Hooked yet? Well like I said before author alert me and you'll be first in line to check it out when it makes its debut! :D

On an end note...Montepluciano set pics anyone? Reunion scene anyone? Anyone?

*sigh*

Reviews are better than catching your vampire boyfriend before he steps out into the sunlight to impending doom.