All characters except for Annabelle Causley and a few others belong to Stephenie Meyer…and, of course, the writer is not receiving any profit for this story whatsoever.

This is an AU out of Stephenie Meyers' Twilight series. This story starts after Eclipse, two weeks before Edward and Bella's wedding.

Chapter Thirteen

Annabelle stared at Edward, wondering what he was thinking concerning Bella's suggestion. After she had surprised them both with her solution to their need for "closure," she had left them alone to discuss their decision.

"So," Annabelle burrowed deeper into the sofa cushions, crossing her arms in an effort to keep herself together. It was during moments like these that she struggled the hardest with her feelings for Edward. Bella had been correct in her belief of Annabelle needing closure but she wasn't sure if it would come in this manner, "What are you thinking?"

"I think…as foolish as Bella's idea may seem, it just might work." Edward's smile was tight as he turned from the windows, his hands stuffed deep into his pockets, "She's right, though, you need to find closure…I've come to terms with what has happened but you still struggle with it…if this helps you, then it will be worth it, so I suppose I'm for it."

"I need closure," Annabelle frowned as she stood up, slowly walking towards him, "Are you saying you no longer have any lingering feelings for me? Are you saying you've been able to forget everything we had together, everything we said to each other, the promises we made?"

"That's not what I meant, Annie," Edward sighed as he took a step closer, reaching out to take her hands, "I still care for you…I know that there's a part of me that still loves you, but you have to understand. I can let go of all these feelings because I love Bella more. Annie, I want you to have the opportunity to love someone that can love you back the way I love Bella…and that won't happen unless you let go of your feelings for me. We both know they are still there."

"Yes, my feelings are still there," Annabelle looked down at their joined hands, knowing if she could, she'd be crying, "And as long as I continue to hold on to those feelings, you won't be able to let go of yours."

"That's right," Edward stepped closer, wrapping his arms around her, "I want us to be friends…like we used to be. I want you to be a part of this family, to be my sister. That won't happen unless you let go and let me let go of you. You know very well that as long as you are holding on, I won't let go."

"Yes, I know," Annabelle wrapped her arms around his waist, lying her head on his chest as she looked out at the setting sun, "It's not fair for me to keep you tied to me this way, especially when you're getting married in a week. I suppose we could try it."

"Yes, we could. I'll ask Alice to see if this works," Edward kissed the top of her head before pulling back, smiling at her with a sweetness that made her throat close up.

"Before you do that, I was wondering," Annabelle walked towards the mahogany desk, fingering the leather journal placed on its surface, "What did your parents do with all our belongings…especially the stuff that got mailed from Italy?"

"How do you –you asked Aro to mail your things to my parents, didn't you?" Edward stood in the middle of the room, his eyebrows lowered in concentration as he tried to understand her thought process behind that decision.

"Yes," Annabelle looked up at him, her face devoid of all emotion, "I couldn't let my parents' possessions be thrown out after they failed to return to the hotel we were staying at. Besides, there were some things belonging to me that I didn't want to keep and I felt belonged with you. Did you every look through them?"

"No," Edward looked down at the plush rug, "I couldn't. Mother placed everything in the attic."

"I suppose whoever owns your house has gotten rid of everything."

"No," Edward looked into her golden eyes, a small smile on his chiseled lips, "The house belongs to Carlisle…no one has lived in it since my parents died."

"Then I guess we know the first place we are going to," Annabelle smiled at him before turning her back, pulling out the leather desk chair as she opened her journal, a black pen in one hand.

Edward walked out of the room and headed to the dining room, where he knew his fiancée would be helping Alice with wedding plans. Even though Bella had given Alice free reign over this wedding, Alice still insisted in getting Bella involved…not that Bella cooperated much except in agreeing to whatever Alice suggested.

Turning the corner, he quietly walked in, approaching Bella from behind. Leaning down, he kissed her neck, his hands on her shoulders keeping her from falling back as she jumped in surprise. She turned to look at him, the question she wanted to ask evident in her eyes.

"Alice," Edward looked at his sister, sitting across the dining table from Bella, "Will it work?"

"I don't know," Alice shrugged as she furiously moved a pencil across a large poster board…Edward smiled as he realized it was the sitting chart, "She isn't sure herself whether it would work or just make things worst so I can't tell. It's worth a try, though."

Edward nodded as he pulled out a chair next to Bella, taking her hand in his as he stared at Alice, "Why are you making changes to the sitting chart? I thought all guests were final."

"Yes, well, we have four last minute guests," Alice smiled tightly as she grabbed her cell phone, speed dialing the caterer as she walked out of the dining room, leaving behind a baffled Edward. Despite his attempt to read Alice's mind concerning the last minute guests, all he heard was order beef over and over again. Turning to look at Bella, he noticed the faint flush on her cheeks as she stared at the sitting chart.

"Who are the last minute guests," he looked into her face, aware of her avoidance in meeting his eyes.

"One of the guests we invited is bringing extra people," Bella shrugged, not knowing why she didn't want him to know it was Jacob coming along with Sam Uley and more than likely Quil and Embry.

"Why the mystery," Edward turned to look over his shoulder, trying to read Alice's thoughts…unfortunately, she had moved past his range.

"There's no mystery," Bella shrugged again as she turned to look at Edward, trying to keep Jacob's face out of her mind, "So are you and Annabelle going?"

"Yes," Edward looked down into her brown eyes, giving her a reassuring smile, "We leave for Chicago tonight. We'll be there sooner if we drive."

"With the way you drive, I'm sure you will be," Bella stood up, walking away from Edward as she wrapped her arms around herself. She knew she shouldn't be feeling angry with him for agreeing to her plan, after all it was her suggestion, but she couldn't help but feel abandoned.

"Bella, there's no need for you to be angry. You can trust me…and I know Annabelle…she won't do anything to hurt you…" Edward moved towards her, wrapping his arms around her from behind, "Remember, this was your idea. And you were right…Annabelle needs this…and I need to be there for her…just this once."

"Okay," Bella turned to bury her face into his chest, hiding the hot tears that were crowding her eyes, "I just hope everything goes the way I want it. It's just that…I'm afraid…afraid that…"

"That going back to Chicago would remind us why we loved each other," Edward tipped her chin up, brushing her tears away with his thumb, "Believe me; we both know why we were in love…and I know why I am in love with you. You're my meteorite, remember? With you in my life, I see no one else."

Bella gave him a watery smile before stretching to kiss his lips. She had to trust him…trust that the love between them was meant to be. She had to trust she was more than enough for him…


It was late at night when they finally hit the Chicago city limits. The ride hadn't taken more than a couple of hours and it had been uneventful. They'd manage to keep the conversation light and superficial; both knew things were bound to get messy as soon as they got to the Masen's old home.

Edward had explained to her how, after Carlisle had changed him to keep him from dying of the Spanish flu, he had asked Carlisle to buy his parents' home, not able to do so himself since he was considered dead. Carlisle had done as Edward requested, keeping the home in the Cullen family throughout the past century. Edward had only been there once or twice in the past hundred years, mostly during his newborn years. It seemed that after a time, the memory of his human parents faded yet for some reason, he couldn't let go of his childhood home.

Annabelle stared out the window, the darkness out there reflecting the darkness inside her. She wasn't sure if she was ready to face what could have been hers, knowing full well all was lost. She never had the opportunity to say good bye to her parents or to her old life. She never had the opportunity to move past what had been. Aro had kept her locked away unless he needed her. She had lived for the past hundred years in memories of her human life and through the lives of characters she discovered in books.

Maybe if she had been allowed to create new memories outside of that damned room she could have been able to move on but Aro had been unusually strange about that. Annabelle shook her head, forcing herself to come back to the present time. She didn't like thinking about Aro…thoughts of him brought a fear she had difficulty controlling. She knew, with time, Aro would figure out where she had gone to but for now, she was still safe with the Cullens. She still had the opportunity to start living.

Turning to look at Edward, she noticed how the street lights lighted his face then threw it into shadow as they flew down the road towards what had been Chicago Lawn. They had lived outside of the Chicago city but inside the Chicago city line. She still remembered how wonderful it had been, growing up surrounded by farmland. She closed her eyes as a memory came to mind…

"Annie, what are you doing," Annabelle looked down, having to move her head to be able to see Eddie as he stood below her, looking up into the tree. She laughed as she returned to her task.

"Picking apples," Annabelle reached out for another apple, giving it a twist then placing it into the apron tied around her waist.

"They're not ready to be picked," Eddie's voice had an element of annoyance as he stated a fact he felt a girl was too simple-minded to remember.

"I know that," Annabelle tossed him an apple, aiming for his head, "But I am planning on making an apple pie and I don't want to wait until they're ripe."

Eddie bit down into the apple he had managed to catch. With a grimace, he spit out the bite as he tossed the apple aside, "That is going to be one nasty tasting pie."

"Funny," Annabelle wiggled around the limb as she looked for the branch below her. Locating it, she turned and swung down, feeling for the branch with her bare feet, "You're not getting a piece."

"I don't want a piece of your gross pie," Eddie kicked the ground as he watched Annabelle gain her footing on the limb. He quickly assessed the limb she was standing on and knew it would not hold her weight as soon as she let go of the branch above. Biting his lip, he wondered if he should tell her…she had denied him pie after all but still…

Eddie looked up as Annie's scream rang out along with the sickening sound of a snapping branch. Without thinking, he quickly moved in hopes of catching her. Instead, he ended up on the ground, her on top, hard apples slamming into his rib cage.

"Are you alright," he asked as he pushed her off him, rubbing his hand over his ribs. Those apples felt like rocks.

"Yes," Annie groaned as she straightened up, rubbing her stomach where the apples had slammed into, "What were you thinking?"

"Trying to catch you," Eddie shrugged as she looked at him, her eyes glittering with tears of pain and humiliation, "I couldn't very well let you break your neck…even after you refused me pie."

Annie smiled at him as she started limping towards her home, her muscles complaining with the movement, "I'll make you a whole pie…just for you."

"That pie did taste gross," Edward looked over at her, a smile on his face.

Annabelle laughed as she began recognizing some houses and certain landmarks, "You still ate all of it."

"I was sick for three days afterwards," Edward turned into a street, slowing down as they got closer to the Masen's home.

Annabelle remembered how the Masens had a big brownstone set in the middle of five acres, enough space for Edward and Annabelle to do much mischief. She chuckled as certain memories quickly flashed through her mind.

Edward chuckled as he pulled into the long driveway, stopping the car to get out and unlock the old gates. Annabelle couldn't help but lean forward as Edward moved the car further up the drive way until they stopped in front of the house. In the dark, it looked menacing and foreboding, very much like it had been abandoned for a century.

Opening the door, she stepped out of the car and stared at the house that had been as much a home to her as her actual home. The Masen family had been her second family and this home held so many memories it was overwhelming standing before it once again.

She took a shaking step forward, knowing full well that whatever she encountered ahead would change her in ways that vampire venom never could…

Edward stood beside the car as he watched Annabelle move slowly towards the house. He hadn't been here in so many years, had managed to lie to rest everything that used to be, yet to be here again, with Annabelle, was stirring up memories and emotions he never thought he'd remember. Following in Annabelle's footsteps, he took a deep breath as he wondered what this trip would reveal.

He wondered to himself if maybe Bella should be afraid after all…