"Honey, I'm home." Emmett burst through the front door of the apartment. "Are you all packed and ready to go?"

"Yes, Emmett. You should know that, considering the fact that you were the one to put everything in my truck."

"When are we leaving?"

"As soon as Edward gets back. He's in his last final right now." I watched Emmett as he plopped down in a chair and started flipping through the channels. "So why are you suddenly interested in riding home with me?"

"Because Edward's so dull when he drives. He puts in one of his CDs and doesn't talk the whole we." He never looked up from the TV.

I watched him suspiciously, "So this has nothing to do with Edward's attempt to keep me safe from myself?"

He finally looked up at me with what appeared to be a shocked expression. "How can you accuse me of such things lil' sis? Is it a crime for me to want to spend time with you?"

"God, Emmett, you are such a bad actor. You and I both know that Edward is putting you in my truck."

He shrugged, "Maybe he is. But is that such a bad thing?"

"He worries too much about me. You all worry too much about me."

"I beg to differ." Edward had somehow slipped into the apartment without either of us noticing.

"Hey, bro. You ready to go? I think we should head out now so we at least have a chance of arriving by the end of the week."

I glared at Emmett. "Is it really necessary for both of you to pick on my truck? It's a great truck especially for me."

Edward raised an eyebrow, "What does that mean, 'especially for you'?"

"Well, the thing's like indestructible. If I were to ever get in any kind of an accident, it would remain completely intact."

"Yeah," Emmett chuckled, "I suppose that is a good car for you." He turned back to his brother. "So are you ready to go? I'd rather see Rose sooner than later."

"Yeah, let me just make sure everything's turned off in my room."

Edward headed to his room while Emmett and I headed toward my truck. Though I complained, I was glad to have Emmett's company. It was a three day drive, and I didn't want to make it alone. I would have ridden with Edward, but I wanted to have my car at home. I'd always liked the freedom I felt in driving my old truck.

The trip ran pretty smoothly. It took three and a half days to get there, but it was fun. Emmett wanted to spend the whole time playing some sort of road game. At one point, we were playing a game where I had silver or white cars and he had colored cars, and whoever saw the most of his cars won.

"Silver," I called out as we passed one of the last cars we'd see as we were so close to Forks. I looked in my rear view mirror to check on Edward, who I knew would be irritated by my 40mph pace. He was just going to have to deal with my need to go the speed limit. I was the police chief's daughter.

I glanced down at the paper in Emmett's hand on which he was keeping score. "Hey, you haven't counted my lat ten cars. You're cheating."

"Nuh-uh. You just don't want to admit that you're losing."

I pulled off the side of the road. We were only twenty miles from Forks, but I didn't care. Emmett wasn't going to force me to play this stupid game and then cheat.

I watched as Edward got out of his car and walked to my window. He tapped lightly and I rolled the window down as far as it would go. "What's the matter?"

I crossed my arms over my chest, "Emmett's cheating."

Edward leaned against the car and sighed, "You pulled over because of Emmett's poor sportsmanship. We're less than an hour from town.

I stuck out my bottom lip, "Edward, it's so unfair. I didn't even want to play the game and then he cheated. Can't you make him stop?"

He looked over at Emmett, "Dude, don't you want to see your Jeep? We'll be stuck here on the side of the road until you fix this."

Emmett threw his hands up in the air. "Fine." He took out his pen and added ten marks. "Are you happy?"

I smiled, "Exceptionally."

I turned back to the steering wheel and turned the key. There was a click, "Uh-oh"

I could see Edward begin to smile out of the corner of my eye as I tried again. "Shoot, don't die on me now. We're almost home. At least get to La Push so I can leave you with Jacob."

Edward chuckled, "Bella, just give up. It's lived a full life. It's time for you to let the poor thing go. It's the best you can do for it."

"No," I growled as I tried futily to turn the engine over.

As I continued to try to revive my truck Emmett got out, and the boys moved all of our stuff into Edward's car. After all my stuff was moved, Edward came to my side of the car and opened the door to pull me out. "Love, we need to get home. You can't just sit here with a dead car all night."

I continued to try to turn the engine over. "It's fine, it' just tired. Just give me a minute."

One minute I was in my seat turning my key and the next I was in Edward's arms. He'd actually picked me up out of my seat. I looked up at him to him laughing, "You are so stubborn."

"Edward, put me down." As I said the words, I wrapped my arms around his neck so that he wouldn't drop me.

He placed me on my feet at the passenger door of the Volvo. "Get in. If you want, we can send someone to come get it tomorrow."

I sighed, "No need, I'll just call Jake. He'll come get it, and then it will be fixed by the time we go back."

He cocked and eyebrow, "And what makes you think I'll let you drive it back."

I smiled as I stretched up to place a chaste kiss on his lips, "Because you love me." I stepped into the car before he could argue.

I pulled out my phone and dialed the Black's house number. As it rang, I watched as Edward shook off his daze and returned to the driver's seat.

"Hello," Billy's voice sounded tired. I wondered if he was doing okay.

"Hey, Billy. It's Bella."

"Oh, hiya Bella. What can I do for you?"

"I was curious if I could talk to Jake. Is he around?"

"He's actually out with Leah right now. I could tell him to call you back."

I couldn't figure out what he was doing out with Leah. He and Leah hated each other. Then again, Leah had hated me too. Maybe Leah had changed while I was gone. "How about you tell him to stop by Charlie's house. I wanna see him anyway."

"When did you get home?"

"I'm almost there right now. Classes ended a few days ago."

"Well it's good to have you back, Bella. I'll tell Jake that you're home and I'm sure he'll be there before you are."

I laughed. Jacob was my best friend, and we'd barely spoken since August. I hoped that Billy was right. "Just tell him that I want to see him, Billy."

"Will do. Talk to you later, Bella."

"Bye, Billy." I hung up and leaned my head back against the head rest. I closed my eyes and tried to breath. If anyone could fix my truck, it would be Jake.

"So, who's Jacob?"

I turned my head to look at Edward. "Have I never mentioned him before?"

"No," he crinkled his forehead, "not that I can remember."

"Hmm," I rolled my head back and closed my eyes. "That's strange. He's my best friend. He's the only reason I survived this God forsaken town."

"And why would he be able to bring that hunk of junk back to life?" I could hear an edge in his voice, but I couldn't place it.

"Jake's been working on anything with an engine since he could move his fingers. The truck used to be his father's. When I moved in with my Dad, Billy gave it to him as a coming home present to me. The thing's only needed some minor work since I got it. Jake's kept it running for me."

"Wow. I think he and Rosie should meet."

I turned back to look at Emmett, "Why?"

"She's the same way. You know that hot little car she's got? Well she tweaked the engine so it goes twice as fast now. And she decked out my Jeep. You gotta see it."

I laughed at the image of Rose in her high heels underneath a car. Then the image of Rosalie and Jacob meeting flashed through my head. "That would be a completely one sided conversation. Jacob wouldn't know how to pick his jaw up off the floor."

Emmett's smile almost made his face shine. "She does know how to make an impression, doesn't she?"

I smiled to myself. She sure did. No one who was in the same building as Rosalie could miss her. She exuded confidence and self worth. And then when you got to know her, you couldn't help but lover her. She was loyal, loving, motherly, patient, and one of the best friends someone could ever have. That is, once you got past the intimidating outer layer. "Is Rose coming to Forks, or are you going to her?"

"Both, I'll go up there every once in a while and she'll come down for Christmas Eve dinner. It's a big event at the Cullen house."

I kind of figured that much. We drove up in front of my house and true to form, the Rabbit was sitting in the driveway. I smile widely at the thought of seeing Jake.

Edward pulled up and helped me get my stuff out of the back. "I'll call you tonight, see if you want to do anything later."

I almost laughed at his expression, almost. "It's going to be strange, isn't it, sleeping in separate beds?"

He shrugged, "It's only a month."

I raised an eyebrow, "That's how long we've been doing it anyway. But don't worry. We'll see each other all the time. There's no way around it out here."

He nodded once before placing the duffle over my shoulder and leaning in to kiss me. The kiss was deep and passionate, as if he was scared this would be our last kiss. His kiss wasn't hungry as they often times were. One hand was placed on the small of my back while the other was wrapped around the back of my neck, holding me against his lips. His tongue slipped into my mouth and twisted with mine. He kissed me as if nothing else mattered in the world, but this moment with us together.

My head was spinning, but I didn't care. He was asking me a question, and I had to answer, even if it killed me. I clung to him, determined to remain standing.

He pulled back and placed his forehead against mine. He let the hand on my neck run through my hair. "That was in case I don't get to see you for a few days."

We continued to stand that way for a while. It hadn't really hit me until that moment. Edward and I wouldn't be together every moment I wouldn't be sleeping in his bed, waking up in his arms, kissing him goodnight. Though this hadn't been routine for long, I didn't want it to change

He kissed my forehead and began to untangle himself from me. I grabbed his face and brought his lips back to mine. My kiss was more desperate. When I finally let him breath, he smiled at me. "What was that for?"

"To remind you that I love you."

He placed a quick kiss on my lips and squeezed me so tightly that I stopped breathing for a moment. "I love you too, Bella." He kissed my forehead and released me, "I'll call you tonight, I promise."

I stretched up to place one more kiss on his lips before turning to the house. I didn't know how I'd sleep tonight.