Disclaimer: Must I admit defeat further by saying that I still don't own Twilight? Seems I just did...
Edward wrapped his arm around my waist as we walked out to the car. I gasped slightly and balked when he got to where the cars were parked. Rosalie and Emmett were leaning against one of them, both looking slightly uncomfortable. Emmett looked at Edward, then down to his arm around my waist, and back to Edward with a weird look on his face. I could tell this was another moment of silent conversation. I sighed. This was going to take some getting used to again. Edward nodded slightly and Emmett rushed over to me. I felt the air in my lungs escape forcefully as Emmett scooped me up into a bear hug.
"Bella! I've missed you so much!" He set me back on the ground when he realized I wasn't breathing. His grin was sheepish as he realized what he had done.
I took a deep breathe and looked up at Edward. He was glaring, but it wasn't at Emmett like I thought it would have been. I followed his gaze and saw that it was locked on Rosalie. The memories of Alice's phone conversation with Rosalie before we left flooded back to me and I realized why Edward was glaring.
Esme came up behind us and started whispering to Edward. I only caught pieces.
"Edward, please. Be reasonable. She feels terrible for what happened. She blames herself for you leaving."
"She should." Edward growled at his mother.
"Edward. Just let her explain and apologize. Carlisle and I will ride back with Jasper and Alice." She started to walk away but Edward protested.
"No. I don't think that would be very wise at the moment."
Esme seemed to need a minute to think and Edward caught every word of it.
Eventually, Edward and I found ourselves sitting in the black of the black Mercedes with Carlisle and Esme, while Alice and Jasper rode with Emmett and Rosalie. The car ride back was very quiet and I could almost sense some of the tension in the air. It wasn't thick, but I knew it would have been much worse if we had ridden with Rosalie. Edward didn't blame her. That much I could see. But he was not happy with her in the slightest.
He and I sat together, his arms wound around my waist, as I leaned against him, wondering what to say to Charlie.
How was I going to explain everything to Charlie? This was going to be difficult. There wasn't a logical explanation for this, not one I could tell him anyway. There would be no way that I could tell Charlie the truth. I smiled to myself as I thought.
"Ok Dad, here's the truth. Edward and his family are vampires and left for my own good. I was being hunted by multiple people and they thought it would be safest if they weren't around. But then Edward heard about me jumping off the cliff in La Push, because Alice saw it happen. Yeah, she's a psychic and can see the future. Well anyway, he thought I was dead and went to ask the most powerful vampires to kill him so he wouldn't have to live without me. But Alice and I flew to Italy to stop him, almost getting ourselves killed in the process. Oh, and they now have to change me into one of them before the others come back and kill me. I'm sorry that's a lot to throw at you, I know."
Yes, that little speech would go along quite nicely. Edward noticed me smiling to myself and threw me a curious glance. I shook my head and spoke quietly to him.
"I was thinking about what I'm going to tell Charlie. We need to figure out what that is. I obviously can't tell him the truth, so what do I tell him?"
Edward's eyes flicked up to meet Carlisle's in the rear view mirror.
"Don't worry about the explanation Bella. We'll come up with something. We still have a little time. We're going back to the house so we can figure something out. Alice will take you back, since Charlie already knows you were with her. It most likely would not be a good idea for Edward to bring you to Charlie's. I'm almost certain Charlie would not react kindly to him at the moment."
I nodded at what Carlisle said, thinking things over. Charlie most definitely blamed Edward for the months of depression following the departure of the Cullen's. Seeing Edward now would not be good for either of them.
I looked up at Edward to see his eyes were tight, and I knew what he was thinking. He was thinking about what Alice had seen and heard from Charlie about me after he left. His eyes were filled with sadness and regret that I knew wouldn't be all that easy to get rid of.
I realized then, as I looked up into his beautiful eyes, that the plan we had come up with involved me being away from Edward. That thought scared me. I couldn't be away from him, not when I just got him back.
"Will you stay tonight?" I asked in a quiet voice. I didn't want to be without him at all. An hour I could handle, but an entire night would be difficult. I knew that I didn't have a chance of a peaceful night, let alone getting any sleep, if Edward wasn't there. I hadn't had a good night since he left.
And then there were the nightmares that were sure to follow what had just happened. I didn't know if I could handle them without him there. I felt my breathing speed up, along with my heart beat, as I thought about this. Edward heard both and chuckled leaning his face down and pressing his lips against my forehead and then moving them to my jaw before speaking.
"Of course, my beautiful Bella. I don't think I can stand another night away from you."
I was elated. I wouldn't have to be without him for that long tonight. I knew I could handle that. I also knew that the hour I had to be away from him would be the most painful and longest night of my life. I looked up at him as he pulled away from my jaw. I twisted in his arms and grabbed his face in my hands. I kissed him passionately, well as passionately as I was able to get away with. Edward pulled back after a few seconds with a mischievous look on his handsome face. He chuckled and twisted me in his arms so I was more comfortable, and he pulled me close to him. He leaned down and buried his face in my hair and inhaled deeply. I reached my hand up and rested my hand on his cheek, to hold him there a bit longer. I missed this, how close we used to be. He took one of his hands, which were wrapped around my waist, and grabbed my hand, holding it in place. He then moved it to his lips, softly kissing my wrist before inhaling deeply again. He kissed each of my finger tips before releasing my hand, and wrapping it around my waist again.
I was tired, but not terribly so. I knew I needed to be awake and coherent when we arrived at the Cullen house so that we would be able to fabricate a story to go along with my disappearance. I leaned against Edward for the rest of the ride, and when we got to house, Edward pulled me onto one of the loveseats in the living room. I sat in his lap as the rest of the family assembled. Rosalie stalked off past us upstairs into her own room. I wasn't surprised. Nothing had changed with the rest of the Cullen's, so I hadn't been expecting any of the animosity Rosalie felt towards me to fade, regardless of the whole cliff and Italy ordeal. Emmett threw a look of incredulity towards her retreating form, but settled into the chair across from us instead of following her. The rest of the family seemed to disregard Rosalie's exit with the exception of Carlisle. He had a slightly annoyed look on his face, but he quickly composed himself and addressed the room's occupants.
"I'm sure you all know the gist of why we are all convened here. We need a cover story for Bella. Our presence in town again should be easy enough to explain, but we will ponder that more once we have a story for Bella. Charlie obviously can not and will not know the truth. Edward and I feel it would be best if, after our plan is made, to have Alice bring Bella back home. He knows that you were with Bella before you both left, Alice. This will be easiest on Charlie and we think he will swallow our story easier if she is with you. Seeing Edward is not a wise idea. I'm sure you can all ascertain the feelings that Charlie has towards Edward. Now we need a story. Ideas, anyone?"
The room was silent for a moment as everyone thought. They knew I had left Charlie a note before I had gone, and they all knew it hadn't been very descriptive.
Dad,
I'm with Alice. Edward's in trouble. You can ground me when I get back. I know it's a bad time. So sorry.
Love you so much,
Bella.
Those were simple enough words. There wasn't too much behind them either, so a story should be easy enough to make up. Surprisingly, Jasper spoke up first.
"I think its best if we stick to the truth, at least partially. It will be easiest and Bella won't feel as if she is lying to Charlie completely. I know you hate to lie to him Bella, but it's the best way."
Emmett spoke next.
"I think that Jasper has a good point. What if we just tell him that Edward found out about Bella's cliff stunt and say that Alice took her to L.A. to explain? Tell him that Edward was pretty messed up over the whole thing with guilt. And to explain us being back to Charlie, tell him that Esme hated L.A. and Edward and Bella both decided that being apart wasn't good for either of them?"
We all gaped at Emmett. He could be amazingly insightful when he wanted to be. It was quite surprising.
"Emmett, I think that plan will work. Nicely done." Carlisle looked at his son with pride. Edward and Jasper both shook their heads appreciatively. "So, I guess that problem has been taken care of. Alice, I think its time you take Bella back to Charlie's now."
She nodded and rose gracefully from her seat. Before she could leave, Carlisle stopped her.
"Alice? Make sure you take the Mercedes. Charlie saw you driving that before and will wonder if you show up in something else."
She nodded again and walked out the door. I heard the engine start a few seconds later. I didn't like this part of the plan. I didn't want to be away from Edward. Jasper felt my anxiety and slight panic and sent a wave of calm through the room. That helped a bit but the feeling was still there, faded in the background. I turned in Edwards arms to look at him. His eyes were tight and a tad bit upset, but he looked down at me and they changed. He looked at me lovingly and there was humor in his eyes as he spoke.
"Bella, Bella. Don't worry love, I'll be back so soon you wont even realize I'm gone." He chuckled lightly.
"I'll miss you. More than you know." I looked at him and I could feel the sadness I felt etch itself slightly into my features.
"I'll miss you too. I love you." He looked so sincere as he spoke his words that I never wanted to leave. But then again, I didn't want to leave anyway.
"I love you, too, Edward." I reached my face up to his and pressed my lips against his marble ones. He threw himself into the kiss more than I thought he would have. I heard a throat clear, and realized we were still in a room full of people. I blushed furiously and Edward just laughed.
"Ha Bella. Your blush is one of the things I missed most about you." Emmett said as he got up and mussed my hair. Edward smoothed my hair back down and got up off of the couch, and pulled me to my feet. Clumsy as always, I fell off balance and into Edward's arms, causing him to laugh out loud. He wrapped his arm around me as we walked into the Cullen's garage. Edward opened my door for me and I got in, expecting him to close the door behind me, but he slid in next to me. I threw him a curious glance and he tapped the dark windows.
"It's nighttime, love. There is no way that Charlie will be able to see me in here. I'll wait while Alice takes you inside and talks to Charlie with you, and when she comes out, I'll go up to your room. I assume you'll want to shower, so I'll wait in your room until you're finished. I told you Bella, I can't be without you." He smiled my crooked smile, and I gladly sank into his embrace as he wrapped his arms around me.
More to come...hopefully not as full of filler. and fluff and all the mushy stuff...hey that rhymed what do you know?
anyway reviews are always killer