1

"Miss Swan, did you hear me?"

Bella closed her eyes as she whispered, "Yes."

"We need to know what you would like us to do?"

"I don't know," she replied, standing up and walking out into the balcony. "How long?"

"Not long. Days, maybe."

Bella inhaled a deep breath. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Is there anyone else we need to contact?"

"No," she replied, shaking her head. "There's nobody else."

"We're very sorry."

"I'm sure you are."

Bella ended the call, shoving her phone into her back pocket. The urge to scream crept up her throat, but she swallowed it back. Blowing out another deep breath, she turned and walked back into her apartment, straight to her bedroom. She dug her suitcase out of the closet and threw it on the bed. She'd just dropped an armful of T-shirts into it when she heard the door to her apartment open and close. She walked over to her closet and began pulling out her jeans, unsurprised when she heard someone clear their throat.

"Don't," she said, shaking her head.

"They called you again, didn't they?"

Bella sighed and turned to the man standing in the doorway of her bedroom. Tall, thin with blond hair and bright blue eyes, he was devastatingly handsome. Once upon a time, she thought he was the love of her life. A life she had worked very hard to forget, except for him. He had been the only good and decent part of that time of her life.

"He doesn't have long. I have to go back."

"You don't have to," he quipped, pushing off the frame and walking over to her, taking her jeans out of her arms and laying them on the bed. "You don't owe him anything, B."

"He's my father," she whispered, placing her hands in the middle of his chest. "Carlisle, he's alone, and dying."

"He's been dying for months," he argued, covering her hands with his. "The man put his hands on you, B. He fucking put his hands on you. I remember dragging you out of that house that night, broken and bleeding, hiding you from him when he came looking for you. We left and said we were never going back, remember?"

She frowned. "I know, but he's still my father."

"You've already made up your mind."

She nodded. "I need this closure."

Carlisle groaned, dragging his hand though his hair. She almost laughed, but didn't because he was already irritated with her for going back. "Then I'll go with you."

Bella blurted out, "What?"

"I said I'll go with you. I can't let you go back there alone. Not while he's still breathing."

"But what about Esme? How's she going to handle her man going home with me?"

"Esme loves you more than I do," he teased, releasing her hands and sitting on the side of her bed. "I can't stay here while you go back home, B. I can't. He just . . . sick or not, that son-of-a-bitch doesn't deserve your loyalty, but I know there's no talking you out of it. Let me go with you."

"Like I can stop you," she murmured, taking a deep breath.

Carlisle smiled and stood up. "I'll be back in five minutes. Do not leave without me, or I will be forced to fight dirty. You know I'll do it, woman."

"Whatever," she groused. "I haven't even booked a flight, so . . . Thanks."

Carlisle walked over and kissed the stop of her head. "Love you, B. Even when you're an idiot."

"Yeah, yeah, love you, too. Give that wife of yours a kiss from me, and tell her I tried to talk you out of going."

Carlisle laughed. "Like she's going to believe that."

Bella shook her head as she turned back and finished packing her suitcase. While she waited for Carlisle to get back, she logged into her laptop and booked them a flight back home. Home wasn't the right word. That shit hole town hadn't been her home in a long time. It was merely the place she survived. A hell she tried very hard not to think about, yet here she was going back. To him. Because of him. Always because of him.

Once she had their ticket confirmations printed, she packed her laptop on her bag, and double checked that she had all of her chargers before she walked back out to the balcony. Ten years was a long time, yet at the same time, it hadn't been nearly long enough.

She turned when she heard the door to her apartment open and Carlisle came in with Esme behind him. While he was well over six-foot, five inches, she was closer to Bella's five-foot five frame. She was thin with long caramel hair and bright blue eyes.

"Did he tell you that I tried to talk him out of it? Because I did."

"He did," Esme laughed, and bypassed her husband and wrapped her arms around Bella. "I'm sorry, B. I wish I could go with you, but I just can't take off right now. We still have three weeks until summer break, and we're short on subs as it is."

"I know," she murmured with a frown. "It's stupid, isn't it? To be going back?"

"It is," she admitted, pulling away, but placing her hands on Bella's face. "But maybe you need this closure. You know, to move on with your life. Maybe actually have a life. Go on dates, have sex."

"Sex is overrated," Bella scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"Only when you're not getting any," Carlisle snickered, walking over and picking up Bella's bag. "You ready?"

"Not even a little bit, but let's go, I guess." Bella wrapped Esme in another hug. "I love you, Essie. Thank you for letting me borrow your man. I'll do my best to keep him out of trouble."

"I love you, too, B." Esme kissed the side of her head. "If you need me, call, okay? Promise."

"I promise," she vowed, and she would, if it got bad enough. She just hoped it wouldn't get that bad.

She walked out and allowed Carlisle and Esme to have a moment alone, knowing how hard it would be for them to be apart. They hadn't spent more than a night apart since they got married three years ago, and even in the almost five years before that, it was rare for them to go more than a couple nights without being together. Bella, on the other hand, had gotten used to being alone.

"Sorry," Carlisle murmured, hurrying into the hallway. "I'm ready."

"No, you're not," she said, yanking her bag out of his hand. "You don't have to go back, you know? Just because I have unresolved daddy issues is no reason for you to put yourself through this, either."

"I won't let you go alone, B. We left together ten years ago, and we'll go back together. I just hope it's not a mistake."

"Me too."

—You—

"Flights going to be delayed an hour," Carlisle said, sitting in the chair next to her. He slung his arm around her shoulder. "Called Mom. Let her know we're coming. She said you're more than welcome to stay at the house."

"Thanks," she murmured. "I'd like that. Not really wanting to be inside his house, you know."

Carlisle nodded and picked up his phone, smiling when he read the text from Esme.

"You're blushing," she laughed, elbowing him in the side.

"Shut up," he grumbled, shoving his phone in his pocket.

"Good come back," she snickered, shifting her eyes back to the gate before she sighed. "She's excited that you're coming back, isn't she? She probably cried."

"She did," he admitted. "She never really understood why I refused."

Bella nodded and looked back at him. "This is stupid, right? I mean, I shouldn't . . . I shouldn't give a fuck that he's dying. Not after . . . But I do. I fucking do, Carlisle, and I just . . ."

"I don't know, B. I don't know. He was as asshole, but he was your father. Maybe, I don't know, maybe you do need to find closure. That way you can move on, go on dates like Esme said. How many times has James asked you out?"

Bella snorted. "Like fifteen, I think."

"Yet, you keep saying no, you stay locked inside your apartment all damn day, throwing yourself into your art. There's nothing wrong with that," he added before she could get defensive. "But you're not living, B. Not really."

She bit the inside of her lip and nodded. It wasn't anything he or Esme hadn't said to her a thousand times over the last several years, but it was easier for them. They'd found each other, fell in love, found their soul mates. But Bella? She was just trying to breathe every day.

Thank you for joining me on a new story! This is another plot I've had for YEARS that I'm finally sitting down to work on. Hope you enjoy it.