A huge THANK YOU to the Project Team Beta - especially AddictedtoEdward and 9chen. They had great feedback and helped immensely!
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.
BPOV
I spent a sleepless night in a hotel by the airport and dozed fitfully on the plane to Seattle. It had been uncomfortable to sit for such a long time, and even with layovers in Chicago and Denver, my body did not have nearly enough time to recover before having to be stuffed back into those uncomfortable seats. I was practically weeping when we touched down at Sec-Tac Airport. I still had to take a train to the main terminal to meet Charlie, and I didn't know how I was going to manage it. I could have called for a sky cap and asked someone for help or a ride, but even in the amount of pain I was in, I refused to show that sign of weakness. I would make it to Charlie on my own two feet.
He was waiting for me on the other side of the security checkpoint, where he could clearly see everyone arriving in Seattle. He kept moving his head so he could look around the people standing in his way, his hands shoved deeply in his pockets. I wanted to wave, to yell, but it had taken all of my strength to make it this far, and I had nothing left. I had stopped briefly to rest a second when he spotted me; his face split into a grin, and I saw him raise a hand in welcome.
I was pushed and jostled as people rushed past me, trying to make their way to the baggage claim or to another terminal to catch a flight. I kept my eyes on Charlie's face and put one foot in front of the other to reach him. His smile faded as he saw the pain etched into my features, and he moved forward as far as he could without going through security. I tried to smile back at him, but I could tell it must have come out as more of a grimace. It took me another five minutes to walk the hundred yards to Charlie.
"Hi, Dad," I said as I stood in front of him, trying desperately not to cry. I knew he could tell how much effort it had taken me to walk to him, just from my tone of voice.
"Bells...," he murmured quietly and stepped forward to take me in his arms. It was almost more than I could bear. His scent, a combination of gun oil and Old Spice, enveloped me and I felt the cool wetness on my cheeks where my tears fell.
He stepped back to look at me, and I could see his eyes glistening in the lights. "Come on, Bella, let's go home." He put his arm around me and walked us out of the airport.
We didn't talk much on the way back to Forks, mostly because I fell asleep almost as soon as we hit the road. The trip was over three hours, and my body just could not handle the exhaustion I felt, both physically and emotionally. It also didn't hurt that Charlie practically forced one of my pain pills down my throat as soon as we got in the car.
I woke as Charlie pulled up in front of the house. He had changed nothing; it looked the same as I remembered.
"Are you okay to walk, Bella?" Charlie asked as he got my suitcase from the trunk and I struggled to get out of the front seat without screaming in agony. I just wanted to stretch out on a soft, flat surface and give my aching body a rest.
What's he going to do if I tell him no? Carry me up the stairs? I was still groggy from the pain medication and the thought of Charlie struggling to carry me up his small, narrow staircase amused me. He was staring at me intently, and I realized I hadn't answered him yet.
"I'm fine, Dad, really," I assured him as I gently shut the door of his police cruiser. He followed me closely as I crossed the lawn into the house and stepped inside. Charlie hadn't changed anything in here either; it looked exactly as it had when I left for college six years ago.
Charlie shut the door behind us and offered, "Do you want something to eat? I can warm up a TV dinner or something."
I shook my head and moved slowly toward the stairs. My hip was screaming with pain, and as I looked at the steps in front of me, I thought that maybe it wouldn't be such a big thing to ask Charlie to carry me. I took a deep breath and, again taking one step at a time, made my way up to my old bedroom. The door was open, and I gasped in surprise when I noticed how it was decorated. Many of the things from my apartment in Sacramento were scattered around, including the new bed I had bought with my first paycheck after I got my teaching job.
Charlie cleared his throat. "Um, I know we told you everything was in storage, but Jake and I drove down last week and got it all and moved it back here. Some of the furniture is stored in Jake's shed; the smaller stuff is in the attic here. We figured you'd be more comfortable surrounded by your things."
I couldn't answer him, so I just nodded, biting my lip and hoping I wouldn't cry.
Charlie placed the suitcase next to my bed and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Bells, is there anything I can get you?" he asked, clearly wanting to help, but not knowing how.
I started to shake my head, but then nodded. "A glass of water would be great." Before I could finish the sentence, Charlie was gone. I put my purse on the bedside table as I sat down on my green down comforter. I had my sneakers off by the time Charlie returned.
"Thanks Dad." I gave him a small smile.
"Anything you need, you just let me know," he mumbled as he placed a hand on my hair. I suddenly felt like I was 17 again, and the need to burrow in his strong arms and hold on tight was enormous. I resisted, knowing how uncomfortable and overwhelmed he would be if I gave into the impulse, so I just nodded instead. He kissed the top of my head and then left me alone. I lay down, willing the medication to start working so I could fall into a dreamless sleep.
When I awoke later, it was dark. The shades had been pulled and a small lamp was lit on my desk in the corner. I noticed the combination of things from my childhood and from my life in Sacramento; it made me feel a little bit better, even though seeing them in Forks meant that my life had changed irrevocably once again. When I left Forks for college, I had no intention of coming back here to stay for any length of time. To see the laptop I bought my freshmen year at Sacramento State, sitting on the desk I had bargained for at a garage sale when I got my first apartment, in the same room that used to hold my crib seemed very surreal. If I really thought about it though, nothing about the two and a half months since the accident had felt remotely real to me. The changes in this room were just more things I had to get used to. I had to adjust to not only the physical limitations I now had, but the fact that I had lost my crazy, lovable mother and a step-father I adored. My mind began to sift through the other things I had lost since the accident, but I quickly pushed it aside; I was not ready to go there yet. I sighed and then jumped when I heard a voice.
"That was a pretty big sigh. Are you okay?" My eyes shot to the corner of the room where my rocking chair stood. Sitting in it was my best friend and brother of my heart, Jacob Black.
"Jake," I smiled and sat up to see him better. He crossed the room in two strides and then I was in his arms. No sooner was my face buried in his shoulder and I could smell his clean, woodsy scent, than I began to sob.
He held me as I cried for the pain I was in, for all I had lost, and for how much I had missed him. He had visited me in the hospital in Jacksonville after I had come out of the coma, but he could only stay a couple of days before having to return to his father in La Push. I had still been in the hospital when Billy died and, therefore, hadn't been able to get home for the funeral. This was the first time I saw Jake since we had both lost our parents.
His strong arms wrapped around me and his jaw worked against my hair as he tried to control his own emotions. Cool drops landed on my head and knew he was crying with me.
It took a while for the two of us to pull ourselves together, but we did, leaning back to take a good look at the changes that had taken place in each other over the last few months. He was skinnier, and his hair was a bit longer, almost touching the collar of his T-shirt. He was still the same Jake though, the only one who could understand me even when I couldn't understand myself.
I pulled out of his arms and ran a hand through my hair. "How long have you been here?" I reached up to wipe some of the tears from his cheeks.
"Charlie called me after you fell asleep. I came right over. Sorry I wasn't there to meet you at the airport, Bells. Leah's shift rang long, and I didn't get here in time before Charlie had to leave to pick you up."
I shook my head as soon as he started apologizing. "Jake, really, it's fine. Had it been up to me, Charlie wouldn't have met me either. I wanted to rent a car, but - "
He held up a hand. "I thought you weren't supposed to drive yet? Charlie said your physical therapist doesn't think you can handle it." Jacob broke off at the look on my face. He rolled his eyes and quickly changed the subject. "So, are you hungry?" He smiled with his big goofy grin.
I nodded and he held out his hand, helping me off the bed. It took me a minute to steady myself, and Jake followed closely as we walked down the stairs. I began to walk to the fridge, but he stopped me and made me sit down. After he was certain I wasn't going to move, he began heating me up some soup. I couldn't help but smile at the sight of my friend cooking for me. Things certainly had changed in the last few years.
He saw me grinning at him and seemed defensive when he asked, "What?"
"I'm just having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that you can cook," I teased him, giving him a small wink.
"Leah told me when she moved in that she wasn't going to be the only one cooking and cold cereal didn't count as a meal, so I didn't have much of a choice." He ladled the soup into a bowl and slid it on the table in front of me.
"How is Leah?" I asked cautiously. She and I had never had a warm relationship, but she was my best friend's fiancée and we had come to an understanding a few years ago. Jake had yelled at both of us in one very memorable confrontation that he wasn't giving either one of us up; we had to accept the roles we both played in his life, period. Leah was the love of his life, but I had been his best friend since childhood. We managed a civil relationship for Jake's sake.
"She's great. Smack dab in the middle of wedding plans - it's only two months away, can you believe it? She's been working double shifts at the hospital." He paused when I snorted, trying to imagine Leah's bedside manner in her job as a nurse.
"Sorry," I mumbled softly. I concentrated on eating my soup as he continued.
"She's trying to save as much as she can for our honeymoon, especially since the garage is just breaking even."
My head shot up. "What do you mean? Charlie said you guys were doing great."
Jake smiled grimly. "We're holding our own, but things have been tight for awhile." He saw the worry on my face and took my hand. "It's just like you to worry about something you have no control over. We're fine and things'll pick up." He squeezed my hand again. "Seriously, Bells, lighten up. I can pay the bills and still give Embry and Quil their paychecks. Honestly, we're okay. Leah's just working a little more so we have some extra money for the honeymoon."
"Where are you guys going again?" I inquired, sitting back in the chair and pushing the bowl away from me. I had eaten barely half of what he had put in front of me, but I didn't have much of an appetite these days.
Jake frowned at my half-full bowl but didn't say anything about it. He got up to clear my dish off the table. "Vancouver. Leah's always wanted to go and I'll be happy wherever she's happy, so that's where we're headed."
I nodded and shifted in the chair, wincing as my hip protested against the movement. Jake turned around, caught the look on my face and was at my side in a heartbeat. "Back to bed," he ordered, lifting me in his arms.
"The couch will be fine, and I can walk there," I argued.
He ignored me, carrying me up the stairs. He deposited me back into my bed and adjusted the pillows behind me.
"Jake, sto-" He glared at me and I broke off my protest. We didn't say anything while I tried to get comfortable and he tried to help by adjusting the pillows and blankets. I finally caught his eye and we grinned at each other.
"God, Bells, I missed you." He touched his forehead to mine and we sat there for a minute.
"I know, I missed you too." I swallowed, trying to get past the lump in my throat. "Jake... I just want... I mean... thank you for everything. For coming to Florida, for taking care of things for me in California, for being here. For everything."
He leaned back to look at me. "You don't have to thank me. That's what families do, Bella," he reminded me tenderly. "We're there for each other, no matter what."
"I know, but I just needed to say it. I love you, Jake." I touched his cheek gently.
He took my hand and brought it to his mouth, giving me a smacking kiss on my palm. "Love you, too." He started to say something else when we both heard a knock on the door downstairs. Jake glanced at my alarm clock and shot me a grin. "Right on time," he noted as he stood up and headed for the door.
"Who?" I asked, but he was already out the door and down the stairs. I could hear murmurs, laughter from below, and then two sets of feet climbing the stairs.
"BELLA!" cried the voice that could always bring a smile to my face.
"Alice!"