Sorry this took so long to get up. I was gone helping my mother these last couple weeks. She had to have surgery and then we found out some bad news but things should be ok now. I am home and working on getting this story finished. There will be three more Chapters and then the epilogue.

I am not Stephanie Meyer and so I don't own any of these Characters.

Chapter 11: Homecoming

IT HAD BEEN THREE WEEKS AND THERE STILL WAS NO SIGN OF CARLISLE. I ALSO HADN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET A HOLD OF JACOB in those three weeks. What is going on? I was really starting to worry and so was the rest of my family.

As soon as Edward and I walked into the house Alice told us that the note had been found.

"Where was it?" I asked to no one in particular.

"It was one of the wolves. It smells like Jacob though." Edward said.

"That is impossible though. He was out of town with Charlie when Carlisle disappeared and the note went missing. Someone is trying to frame him."

"We know that but which one of them would do this?"

"I don't know any one of them could have done this. They were all mad at him for deciding to remain friends with me even after I change. I'm only sorry that he doesn't know that I have been changed already."

Everyone's eyes went to me full of shock and horror.

"What? It isn't like I haven't tried. Every time I call Billy says he is out of on patrol. What more can I do?"

Alice's eyes glazed over then. We all waited as patiently as we could for her to come back. Patience wasn't something any of us had much of though these days. We were all on edge because we had no idea what was going on with Carlisle. Now, patience was even further diminished though and I didn't need Jasper to show me that it was true. For some reason, my not being able to get a hold of Jake had put a new level of anxiety over everyone.

Alice came back and started to jump up and down with a huge smile on her face. Obviously whatever it was made her very happy.

"What is it Alice?" Edward asked for everyone else's benefit.

"It is Carlisle. He will be home tonight!"



Everyone took an unnecessary breath and you could feel the mood in the room lighten significantly. At least one problem was now resolved. Carlisle would be home.

We all looked at each other and knew that we needed to do something so that Carlisle's homecoming would be special. Esme took charge sending the three girls to the store and enlisting the guys to help her clean and fix up the house. There were a lot of holes from the guys getting into fights over the last couple of weeks.

The three of us left and went to get supplies for a party. Alice of course took charge and started to get gifts and decorations and things we would need for the party.

When we got back to the house everything was clean and the house looked like new. Alice got to work on the decorations and told Rosalie and I to start to wrap the gifts for Carlisle. Rosalie and I worked in silence and had all of the gifts Alice had insisted on getting wrapped in no time. Rosalie went to see what else needed to be done and I went to find Edward.

Once I found him we decided to sneak away for a little while. I needed to talk to someone about our other problem. I was really starting to worry about why I couldn't get a hold of Jacob and why a wolf would try to set him up.

When we got to the meadow we both fell to the ground and looked up into the sky. I just laid there in silence for a little while not knowing how to start this conversation. Then Edward rolled over onto his stomach so that he could look at me. I smiled at him but he saw through it.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked.

"A lot of things, but mostly I'm thinking about what is going on. Why can't I talk to Jacob and who would do this to him?"

"You would know better than I would who would want to hurt him by trying to drive a wedge between you two."

When he put it that way it narrowed the group down to two people. But which one would have more incentive to try something like this. It was either Sam or Leah. I also knew that Leah was starting to like Jacob. She couldn't help but think about it. It started after the whole save her life thing. She still had a thing for Sam but Jacob was starting to creep in too. Sam was the leader and wouldn't want to lose one of his wolves. Which one would have more reason for this?

Jacob had told me though that Sam knew about his decision and while he didn't like it he would deal with it so that ruled him out. That only left Leah. Edward saw the realization on my face and asked me if I had an idea who it was.

"It was Leah. It had to be she is the only one with reason to pull something like this. She was mad because Jacob was morning the loss of me when I would become a vampire. It made her really upset and Jacob yelled at her for it. He also thinks that she is starting to have feelings for him. She has started to follow him around whenever he is out running. That doesn't explain why Jacob isn't talking to me though."

"No but it does give us something. Sam isn't going to try and go after us then for changing you."



"No, he gave his word on that after he found out what happened with Carlisle."

"That must have made Leah doubly mad. She found out that both of the guys she likes and cares for are siding with you and not going to come after us for breaking the treaty."

"I never thought about it that way but yes."

We sat quietly for another moment and Edward pulled me into his arms and sang my lullaby to me. When I was completely relaxed he told me it was time to head back because Carlisle would be home soon.

When we got back to the house Alice asked us where we had been and told us to hurry up and get ready because Carlisle would be home in ten minutes and that I had to be there because Demitri was with him just to make sure that I was in fact changed. He was given orders to kill Carlisle and the rest of the family on the spot if I wasn't and then to bring me back with him.

Edward and I quickly went upstairs and changed. He put on a blue button down shirt and a pair of khaki pants. I put on the outfit Alice had told me to wear when I was changed. I thought it was fitting to wear that being as they were coming to check and make sure that I had in fact been changed.

When we got back downstairs Alice smiled at me. Obviously I was wearing exactly what she thought I should. Edward stopped behind me and put his arms around me. He then set his chin on top of my head. I sniggled into him and waited for Carlisle.

About five minutes later the door opened and Carlisle walked in. Alice started to jump up and down. The rest of us were still as Demetri walked through the door. He looked at each of the Cullen's and then at me. His face quickly went from acknowledgement to denial to anger and then to acceptance. I knew he was hoping for a fight.

"Hello, Demerti," Edward said in his most hospitable voice, "is there anything we can get you this evening?"

"No, thank you. I was just fulfilling my duty. Seeing as in fact she has become one of us I have a message for you all. Aro would like to invite you all to a Ball that will be held in her honor at the Volterra Castle."

"Thank you for the invitation. We would be honored to join you," Carlisle replied. "Please tell my friend Aro that I thank him for the kindness he has shown the last few weeks and for the grandeur he sees fit to bestow upon my family and I."

"When is the ball to be held?" I asked.

"Two weeks after your wedding. Aro thought you might like a honeymoon first."

Demetri then turned to me and looked at my eyes. He seemed puzzled by the fact that they were not red like a normal newborn's eyes were.



"Bella," he addressed me personally, "Aro will be very interested to hear that your eyes are not red. I dare say that he will be very interested in seeing what happens with you." With that he was gone.

Carlisle looked at me when Demetri left and I knew he wanted to talk to Edward and I. Edward of course knew this due to his mind reading ability which still didn't work on me.

"Carlisle may Bella and I speak with you in your study before the festivities begin?"

Carlisle led the way up the stairs to his study. Edward and I followed in silence. Once in the study Carlisle closed the door and looked at my eyes again and then went to his shelves and pulled out a few books. He said nothing but started to flip through them looking for something.

Once he found what he was looking for he started to speak to us. "Bella, this is very rare for a newborn to have the eye pigmentation that you have. I have never personally seen this though I have read of it. I don't know that even Aro has seen a newborn like you. He will be very eager to see you and I wouldn't be surprised if he came here personally to see you before the ball. That too would be rare he never leaves the comfort of the castle."

"Carlisle, why would Bella's eyes be butterscotch and not red?" Edward asked for the both of us.

Carlisle answered his question with one for me, "Bella, since you have been back has anything smelled different for you at your father's house?"

I didn't understand what he meant and he could tell by the look on my face. Then as if being hit by lightening realization came to my mind. He wanted to know if I could smell the scent of my father's blood. I thought about it for a moment and realized I couldn't smell his or any other person's blood.

"No, Carlisle, nothing smells different to me. I cannot smell the blood of any human."

"I thought that might be the case. You are a truly rare creature indeed. Aro will be very interested in you for this ability. Though, I dare say that it won't be the only unique thing about you my dear daughter. This however will make you a very strong force to be reckoned with should you ever have to battle because your body will always retain your newborn blood and have the added strength of the animals you hunt."

Edward started to ask Carlisle something but what he asked and what I heard must have been two different things because when I answered I got the strangest look from the both of them.

"If Bella is so strong she won't need me anymore. I just hope that she won't decide she doesn't want me because I have nothing to offer her anymore," is what I heard him say.

"Edward how dare you say something like that I could never leave you. Don't ever say something like that again."

This was where the strange looks came in. Edward then told me what he actually said. "I didn't say that I didn't even think that. Well at least not consciously. What I said was 'Is Bella going to be fought for by Aro because of this because I am willing to fight to the death for her?'"



If I could have blushed I would have found a new shade of red right about now. I had no idea what was going on because then Carlisle started to speak and I had no clue anymore if I was hearing what he was really saying so kept quiet. That didn't work either because apparently he was addressing me.

"I'm sorry Carlisle what were you saying my mind seems to be playing tricks on me."

At that moment Alice burst through the door and looked at me like I was an idiot. I could see that Edward was reading her mind. Then I started to hear her voice but her mouth was not moving. What the heck is going on here?

Why does she not see it? Is she really that oblivious? Could she be the first stupid vampire?

"Alice how dare you call me stupid. I am new at this life I don't know what is going on with me."

Then she looked at me with fear and realized that she better tell me what she saw, "Bella, you and Edward have similar powers. He can see what is passing in the mind at the time but you, you see the subconscious the things that people don't even realize they are thinking. You need to take time and harness this or you will continue to answer things that people don't even know they think. It would get a little scary for others."

I had to sit down for a moment and process what she had just told me. Could this be possible? Could this be why Aro, Jane and my dear Edwards powers didn't work on me? Could this be the reason for me hearing Edward when I was in danger or being stupid when he was gone because he was always subconsciously thinking about me and my safety? As I was questioning myself Carlisle asked me again what he had been trying to ask before Alice burst in.

"Bella, would you like to stay here for a few days?"

"Yes please I think I need to be alone with Edward and try to figure out how to harness this power so that I don't scare Charlie."

"Alright dear I will talk with him later this evening."

With that our conversation was over and we went down to join everyone else. Carlisle told us what he had been doing in Volterra. He let us know that he wasn't in any danger until he came back after they received the news that I had been changed. He also told us that he was going to be allowed to be here for the wedding but that Aro would have been here also to ensure nothing happened to alter his plans.

After he finished Alice brought out the gifts for him to open. Carlisle commented that if this was what it was going to be like when he came home from being a captive then he would have to write to Aro and ask him to do this more often.

Carlisle excused himself from the party and went to call Charlie and see if I could stay for a few days. He used the excuse that Alice had a ton of things to finish for the wedding like fittings and things of that nature. Charlie not wanting to deal with details said that it was fine.



After the party finished Rose and Alice pulled me up to Alice's room and said that they needed to figure out how they wanted to do my hair and makeup for the wedding. About twenty minutes in Edward came to tell me he was going out and would be back soon. I nodded and he left.

After what seemed like days Alice and Rose had decided on the hair for the wedding and what my makeup should be like for the ceremony and then for the reception. I have to admit that I really did like what they had decided on but did they have to work at human speed. I'm not human after all anymore. I reminded them of this and then they just smirked and went slower.

After I was cleaned up I went to look for Edward and found that he wasn't home yet. I wonder where he went off to. I decided that while I was waiting I might as well play games with Emmett being as he had told me once that he wanted to play me at guitar hero once it was a fair fight.

I called to Emmett and told him I was ready for our match now and he came bounding down the stairs the rest of the family joined us shortly after that. Everyone was eager to see if someone was finally going to be a new champ because they were all tired of hearing Emmett brag about how no one could ever beat him at this game. It didn't take long for Emmett to become frustrated. I had now beat him at one whole set of songs.

Emmett decided he had had enough and threw the guitar across the room and stomped off like a five year old. Rosalie quickly and quietly thanked me for kicking his butt at the game then went to him so that she could "sooth his bruised ego." We all knew what that meant. Edward walked in not long after and I ran to him and dragged him upstairs. I needed to talk to him.

When we got upstairs I started with the questions. "Where were you? I thought you were going to be right back."

"I was but when I got to the meadow I lost track of time. I was trying to think of how to help you learn how to control your power. I think I figured something out. I will teach you how I turn my power on and off, maybe it will work for you. If not I am at a total loss."

We sat on the bed and started to work on it. A few days later I was able to turn it on and off at will. I guess what works for him works for me too. I hugged him and thanked him for helping me. I then turned my power on to see what was running through his subconscious.

"I need her so bad. I have spent the last three days in this room with her and she hasn't so much as let me kiss her. I will burst if I don't know my wife soon. I may have to just through her down and take her."

I had a grin playing on my face and it didn't take long for Edward to notice.

"Did you just go into my subconscious?"

"Yep."

"Do I even want to know?"

"Yep."



"Will you tell me then?"

"Nope."

At that I started to think about how to go about this. I decided that I would go slow. I started to kiss the corner of his mouth and then I gave him one of our old kisses the careful ones that made it so that it wouldn't lead to anything else. I then got off the bed and went into the bathroom to take a shower. I looked at him before I closed the door and he was stunned. He had no clue what was happening. I took a quick shower and put on a pair of shorts that were shorter than anything I would have worn as a human and a tube top if you could call it that. All it really covered was my breasts.

When I came out realization dawned on my poor husband. I joined him on the bed and whispered in his ear, "I told you, you would like what you were thinking."

He started kissing me and before long we were in the throes of passion and love and not coming out anytime soon. When we were finished I showered for a third time today and went downstairs to join the family I was going to be going back to Charlie's this evening so we wanted to all watch movies together before I left.

We ended up watching the videos that Alice and Jasper gave me before I was changed. Just like last time I was sobbing when it was over only this time it was a dry sob because I no longer have tears.

"Alice, Jasper that was a very sweet and wonderful thing you did for our Bella. If only everyone was lucky enough to have someone like you in their lives to think of doing something like that we all would remember our human lives better."

Edward drove me home then and walked me to the door. He said goodnight there and gave me one of our careful kisses before he left.

I went inside and Charlie was on the couch watching a game as usual. I went up and put the clothes that were the façade on my bed and went down to make dinner. I soon found that I didn't need to cook because Charlie had ordered a pizza.

I grabbed a piece and went up to my room. I thought that maybe it would be fun to read Charlie's subconscious. I never did know what he thought and this was a good way to see.

I wish there was a way for Jacob to steal Bella from Edward. I like him so much better. I don't have to worry about what she is doing when she is with him like I do when she is with Edward. What can a father do?

I quickly pulled out of his head. I had thought that things were changing between him and Edward and here I find it is only a ruse. I don't know what to do. Maybe if I spend a couple of days with him he will lighten up about all of this. I'll talk to Edward about it when he gets here.

I went down to tell Charlie that I was going to go to bed because Alice had put me through the ringer when it came to getting everything done for the wedding. I knew that I wouldn't be sleeping but I couldn't let my dad know. When he checked in on me I acted as though I was asleep. As soon as he was asleep I waited for Edward to show up. It had been a few hours and 

he still wasn't there. Jasper however was now climbing through my window. What in the world is going on?

"Edward sent me to tell you that he won't be over tonight because he is finishing things up with Carlisle to set the wedding ceremony."

I nodded and said thanks and Jasper left. I pulled out my cell thinking I would try Jacob again. I dialed the number and Billy answered of course. Yet again Jacob was out with the pack. I left the message that I always left and hung up.

The wedding was eleven days away but I decided to start packing my stuff anyways. I decided to go at human speed so it would take longer. I needed to fill my night somehow.

I spent the next three days with Charlie trying to do what I could so that when I got married it wouldn't be so bad for him. I even condescended to go fishing with him. I did whatever he wanted so that his memories of me would be pleasant ones and not sad in the least.