Disclaimer: I don't own twilight.

Bella~

The next few months were a wave of packing and moving us out of my Dad's house while he moved Sue in. I met her kids, Leigh and Seth. They were really nice. We had thanksgiving at Edwards house....Well our house now. Edward went through physical therapy and regained his full range of motion in his shoulder. He spent most days working on his book in between being a room parent for Lilly's class and starting up the construction company. He planned to finish out his contract with his publisher and not sign another. When I asked him why he simply replied that time in his life was over and he was ready for better things.

When all the packing was done and all the dust settled I found myself at our first Christmas as a family. I knew in my heart we weren't complete, Elizabeth still hadn't become a part of our lives. Word gets around in a town this small. And the rumors ran rampant. She was still outraged over the money. She was angry with Edward for accepting Alice so easily. Everyday it was something new and different. We all kept waiting on her to make good on her threat to sell the house and move to Arizona but she hadn't so far. I knew deep inside Edward somewhere he was worried about his mother. He never said it but sometimes when we were driving passed her house he would look over and notice the grass needed mowing or her flowers looked dry. She didn't come out into town much. She would be seen at the grocery store every now and then but never to anything social. Even after all the things, the horrible things, she had done to Edward and I it still broke my heart to see her spending the Holidays alone.

One day at the beginning of December I asked Edward about inviting his Mother to Christmas.

"Bella, I love you for asking but no. let's let sleeping dogs lye. She's moving away. I made my choice and I chose you and Alice." He sat at the dining room table behind his lap top, his thin wire rimmed glasses perched on his nose.

"Love, I know she's awful but she's your mom. You only get one." I pointed out.

"She isn't going to accept my choices. I've accepted that. You should too." he got up from the table and put his coffee mug in the dishwasher. I leaned against the counter watching his every move. He kissed my cheek then went to change to go into the office. Thoughts rolled over in my mind. Was Edward right? Was his relationship with Liz a lost cause? I had never been a meddler. That was always Alice's department but something inside me said to meddle. I waited for Edward to leave before I left too, totally unsure of how this would turn out.

It was cold in Fork's for early December. I stood at the end of Liz's drive way for a few minutes. I pulled my coat around me for warmth. I knew more then likely she would reject me. I was prepared for that. I didn't know what it was going to be like if she rejected Lilly. That would be too much for me. I decided if that was the case then I'd be done with it. I'd let it go as Edward asked me too. If that's what happened. I really hoped it wouldn't come to that. I was walking up the drive way as she opened the door. Her hair had gone gray. She must of given up coloring it. Her face was free of make up. It looked like years were added around her eyes and mouth. I walked bravely up the sidewalk. When I reached the porch we didn't exchange words, she just stepped aside, letting me go inside.

"May I take your coat Isabella?" she asked with awkward politeness. I didn't feel unwelcome but it was just as awkward as I imagined it would be.

"I don't know how long I'm staying." I said honestly. She nodded,

"I understand. Have you come for Edward's things...I tried to box them up but I..." her voice cracked. I put my hand on her shoulder gently.

"No. I haven't come for Edward's stuff. He doesn't know I'm here." I mustered a tight smile. She nodded in understanding,

"He's very proud. He wont be happy you're here." she said.

"You're very proud too, Liz." I pointed out. She walked into the kitchen. I followed behind her. She motioned for me to take a seat at the table while she poured coffee for both of us. I looked around and noticed the house was absolutely bursting with photos, more so then usual.

"You've added a lot of pictures." I said to her.

"they're all I have now. I've lost my husband...my son. I have nothing but memories now." she sat down at the table placing the fine china cups of coffee in front of us. I folded my hands on the table top,

"It doesn't have to be this way." I said. Her eyes flickered up to mine for a moment then she looked away.

"It does. I've done to many horrible things. I said to many horrible things and the years in which I did them are gone now. They cant be taken back or erased." she put her hand over her mouth to stop the sob she didn't want to get out. She looked out the kitchen window to compose herself for a moment.

"Time can be made up for. Edward has a whole life you could be apart of if you wanted. It would take so little..." I trailed off.

"What you consider a little is a lot to me. You are so young. Time is laid out in front of you like a endless path. My path is short now and it gets shorter every day." She said seriously. I wasn't prepared for this. I wasn't ready for her to be so human. It seemed the woman from the hospital, the Liz that was screaming and fighting was long gone.

"Then why waste your time being angry?" I asked her. She looked stricken for a moment,

"You think I'm angry? Why would I be angry?" she said.

"Because of Edward's choices."

"I'm not angry with Edward, Senior or Junior. I'm angry with myself." she took a few deep breaths before she continued,

"When I found out Cindy was pregnant I should of left him. I made him miserable until his dieing day by forcing him to stay with me, by making him stay away from his daughter. For a while I tricked myself into thinking they were a fling. I made myself believe he truly did love me. We weren't staying together for Edward. He loved me. I told myself the lie so often I made it my own truth. What I did to him was nothing in comparison to what I did to Edward and to Alice and to...." her eyes met mine again for a moment.

"To me. What you did to me." I finished for her. She nodded slowly.

"Yes. I dare say your mother would be ashamed of me. She would hate me if she knew what I had done to you." I thought this over for a moment. I didn't have many memories of my mother but what I did know of her was that she was free spirited. My father called her almost child like.

"She wouldn't hate you. I don't think it was in her nature but she would expect you to make it right." I opened my purse and got out Lilly's current school picture and a pen. I wrote our phone number and Lilly's age, year and grade on the back. I slid it across to her. She picked it up gently and looked it over.

"She looks so much like you." she commented.

"More like Edward I think." I smiled slightly, "You have a grand daughter. She's pretty feisty and she's a handful. If we could all put this mess behind us then we might have a real shot at a family."

"where would I even begin?" she asked me.

"I would start with accepting Edward's choices and then apologizing." I told her.

"You mean accepting you and your daughter? And Alice?" she said. She sounded nervous.

"I mean accepting Lilly as Edwards and accepting Alice as Edward's sister. As for accepting me I have to tell you it doesn't matter if you do or you don't because I'm going to be here regardless. Edward is the love of my life." I stood up from the table to leave. She stood up too. She took a step and embraced me. I hugged her gently back.

"Has he asked you to marry him yet?" she inquired.

"Nope but I'm not in a hurry. Things are pretty good just as they are." I smiled at her as we stepped apart, "think about what I said Liz. Edward's already lost his father. He needs you."

"I'll think about it. Thank you Bella for coming over. It showed a lot of strength and character." it was high praise coming from her. I just smiled and showed myself out, praying she would listen and try to make things right with her son.

Edward~

My cell phone rang as I was walking into Lilly's school. I pressed the accept button on Alice's call.

"Sis! What's up?" I asked happily.

"Your mom was just here." she said. I nearly dropped the phone.

"for what?" I wondered aloud. I hadn't spoken to her or of her really in months.

"She came to apologize. She gave me some of Dad's stuff. His watch. A few pictures." I was dumbfounded. "Edward? Are you there?" she asked me.

"Yeah, I'm here I just don't know what to say. Did she seem sincere or is this a trick?" I asked.

"It was pretty freaking sincere. She hugged me and she told me she accepted me as your family and she hoped for my forgiveness. Maybe that rumor about her being on Valium was true. Maybe she's all doped up and on some kind of 'forgive me my sins' kick." Alice mused.

"I don't know what to say."

"Well think of something. She's headed your way." she told me and hung up. I went into Lilly's classroom totally preoccupied by what could possibly happen next.

I drove Lilly home after school. She seemed to like having me in her classroom. I often wondered how soon the novelty of having a father would wear off. I hoped never but knew it would sometime. We pulled up in the drive way, I noticed immediately my mothers caddy was parked beside Bella's jeep.

"Who's here?" Lilly wondered and hopped out of the car. She ran for the front door, to quickly for me to catch her.

"I'm home!" she announced dropping her bag and taking off her shoes. She ran into the kitchen with me hot on her heels. Sitting at the kitchen table was my mother, drinking coffee with Bella like it was the most normal thing in the world. I grasped Lilly's shoulder pulling her back to me. They both stood up. Nervousness crossed Bella's features. She looked at me then my mother then me again. She was waiting for something but I didn't know what she expected.

"Lilly can you go play in your room for a little while?" Bella asked her.

"Who's that Daddy?" Lilly looked up at me. I squeezed her shoulder, smiling at her in a reassuring way.

"It's a friend of Mommy and Daddy's. Please go play in your room. I'll be up in a bit to help you with your homework." Lilly walked out of the kitchen and went upstairs. I looked at my mother and back at Bella. It felt like forever before one of us spoke.

"If you are angry with anyone here, be angry with me. I went to her." Bella said, "I'm going to give you two a moment alone." she walked from the room, arms crossed over her chest. She caught my eye on her way out. The look told me to act like an adult. I wasn't sure in this situation I was capable.

"Why are you here?" I asked her. She smiled slightly.

"I miss you." she said. I ran my hand through my hair and sighed.

"Mom, you cant do this. It's got to be all of us or none of us. I can't have two separate lives in this town." I told her. She put her hand up to stop me.

"I know you cant and I don't expect you too. It's unfair and I want to be done with unfair. I want you to finally have everything you deserve and that includes Bella, Lilly and Alice." she motioned for me to join her at the table. I walked reluctantly over and sat down. She turned her chair to face mine. She put out her hand palm down and I took it.

"I messed up Edward. In the simplest of terms. I screwed up. I made your father miserable. I ruined Alice's life and I almost ruined yours. I will never be able to tell you how happy I am so see what you've created. You have a beautiful home and a lovely little girl. Bella is wonderful. I'm so proud and your father would have been too." she smiled warmly. I sensed the 'but' coming.

"But?" I interjected. She sighed.

"I don't deserve your forgiveness or Alice's but I'd like it. I would like the chance to be apart of your life as must or as little as you'll let me." her words rolled around in my brain for a moment or two. I squeezed her hand.

"No more lies. No more secrets. You have to accept my choices and the people I love even if you don't love them too." I said. She nodded,

"I understand completely." she said. The trust lost between us would take time to rebuild and it wouldn't be over night but I knew my father would want me to try.

"Can I meet my grand daughter? Please?" the hope shining my mothers eyes made me smile. She was going to fall as helplessly in love with Lilly as I had. I excused myself from the kitchen and went to the bottom of the stairs. Bella was waiting in the formal living room waiting for me.

"Well?" she asked. I rolled my eyes and called for Lilly. Bella joined me at the bottom of the stairs, wrapping one arm around my waist. I kissed her head.

"Mad at me?" she wondered. I laughed lightly,

"Nope but I am grateful." I told her. She breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's what I was hoping for." She said. Lilly joined us and together we all went in the kitchen so Lilly could meet her grandmother for the very first time.

A/n- I appreciate every one's patience. I finally got time so the first thing I did was write. I hope you enjoy it.