Go read, then let's talk. Not ours, and we wish it were because writing full time sounds rather fun these days.

Chapter 22 There's No Place Like Home

Click Your Heels - E

The level of exhaustion we felt was staggering. I think we could have both fallen asleep on that beach if it weren't so cold. We were quite simply spent. We'd been hit with an emotional hurricane. The amazing thing was there didn't appear to be any major damage to the foundation of our relationship as a result. We saw the wreckage of the storm as an opportunity to rebuild, taking into account what we hadn't known before.

We wouldn't be putting up this one on an island. Alone time was one thing, but isolation hadn't been healthy for either of us. We needed to construct our relationship with plenty of windows. Light had double meaning for us. Truth and levity. The floor plan had to be large enough to accommodate guests. Friends and family were essential to both of our well beings.

When we returned to the fire, people had scattered or departed. Her dad was getting ready to take Sue home. We said goodbyes, and started back to the house.

"I'm sorry you didn't get to hear any of the Quileute legends. They really are fascinating," Bella noted while walking back to the car.

I took her hand, and rubbed my thumb in her palm. "Maybe next time."

She opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it. She paused, and nodded.

It was a quiet drive, and we began getting ready for bed the minute we walked in the door. We took turns brushing our teeth in the small bathroom. She had stepped out while I finished up. She was sitting on the edge of her bed. I sat down next to her to say goodnight. She leaned into me.

"Do you really want to go home early, Bella?" I wrapped my arm around her shoulder.

"Yeah. My dad is going to take some time off tomorrow so we can talk more, but I'm ready to get back." She sighed, but didn't continue.

"I'm sorry things didn't turn out as you expected."

"Me too. Somehow I felt it from the beginning. I don't know . . . I guess it's just not home anymore. Not in the same way at least. That was kind of a hard realization to come to."

"Believe me, I understand that better than anyone." I squeezed her shoulder. It was one more thing writers had tried to capture since the beginning of time. Finding home was far more complicated than a pair of ruby slippers.

"I don't even know how to tell you how glad I am that you're here. I don't think I could have handled this alone."

I kissed the top of her head. "Do you want me to stay while you fall asleep?" She shook her head slightly, so I made a move to get up, but she pulled me back down.

"I'd rather you stayed all night."

"What about your dad?"

"I'm a big girl. He's going to have to learn that I've grown up."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. It'll be tight though. Can't promise no one will fall out."

I laughed. "Well, I promise you anything beats that couch."

Though it was a challenge, we both stayed in the bed. At least until the next morning. When Bella started to stretch she rolled back into me, forcing me out of my precarious balance at the edge of the bed, and I tumbled off. This time I managed to catch my fall better, and I didn't hit my head.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry. I did it again!"

"If you wanted me out of your bed so badly, all you had to do was ask," I chastised facetiously.

"Stop it. I feel terrible."

"Well, I know how you can make it up to me."

"Edward, not this morning. I'm pretty sure my dad is still here."

"Now, who has the perverted mind? I was going to ask you to make sure there was coffee while I get dressed."

"Oh." Her cheeks turned pink as she smiled at me.

Charlie was already downstairs by the time I got there. I didn't know what to think of the way he was looking at me—part gratitude, part something else. I imagine it was a tough situation. She needed me last night. He wasn't the one to be able to comfort her. He'd been the cause of her pain. From the way Bella described their history, I assumed, he'd always been the one doing the comforting when other boys disappointed her.

Bella was putting together breakfast items when he asked, "What else is on your agenda while you're here?

She paused before turning to look at him. "Dad, we're leaving later today. We'll either be flying out tonight or tomorrow, but either way, we'll be in Seattle tonight."

"I see," he responded quietly. I sensed they needed some time alone, so I announced that I had yet to buy my Forks t-shirt, and I wanted to run out to get it.

Just before I headed out the door, Bella called out, "Don't forget. I like the grey one."

I coughed, and then I waved goodbye because I couldn't turn to look at her.

Obviously, it wouldn't take me long to get a t-shirt, and I wanted to give them some more time. I sat in the parking lot, and made some calls. First, I checked on moving our flight. I was stewing on an idea, so I specifically chose the one first thing the next morning, which meant I also needed a hotel reservation for tonight.

I sat in the car a little longer, trying to decide whether my idea was a good one or not, given everything we'd been through. Then I made 3 more phone calls in the following order: Jasper, my mom, and Jane. The first two were integral to the plan. The last was to check in regarding a couple of clients and to have her line things up for our arrival tomorrow.

We ended up leaving in the late afternoon. Bella's dad wanted us to stay longer, but though neither of us said a word, we were both anxious to get to Seattle. A goodbye party for our last night on the island.

Unconsciously, we retreated into just us, which meant we laughed a lot.

By the time we took off the next morning, I was feeling nervous. She hadn't wanted to talk much about her conversation with her dad, but she said it went well. She still seemed a little raw emotionally, and I hoped my plan wouldn't create a fresh wound.

Over the Rainbow - B

I feel like a terrible person saying it, but leaving Forks was a relief.

My dad and I said what we needed to say to each other on Friday morning. It wasn't easy, but we cleared the air and came to an understanding. He promised not to keep things from me in the name of protecting me, and would accept that I was a grown woman. In return, I promised to be open minded about his relationship with Sue. Heck, there was one positive thing out of it; Seth would be my little brother now. My family just tripled in size.

I watched out the wing mirror as Forks receded behind us. There had been a lingering sense of 'something' since we had arrived. I was finally able to pin point what it was. Forks wasn't home anymore. There were memories, and there were friends here, but this wasn't where I fit anymore.

It's scary to realize that you can't go home again, as clichéd as that might sound.

Friday night was quiet. We grabbed a low key dinner and crashed early. We had to get up early to make our 7:30 flight.

"I have every intention of stretching out and sleeping for the full five hours. I feel like I haven't slept in a month." Edward groused as we settled into our seats.

Normally, I would have teased him about leaving me to fend for myself. But he was tired, and I couldn't begrudge him the rest. Besides, I had a lot of thinking to do.

"As soon as we are in the air, I'll pull the shade down and not talk to you, I promise."

He smiled at me and pulled my iPod out of his bag. "I loaded it up with all kinds of brain candy. You should have enough things to watch and listen to last for the next month."

"You are only off the hook if I get warm chocolate chip cookies the entire flight."

He smiled at me and pulled a bakery bag out of his carry on.

"Maybe you can convince them to warm them up."

He leaned his seat back and pulled his Yankees cap down over his eyes. His arm was draped on the console between us, and I started lightly ghosting my fingers up and down his arm to help him fall asleep.

"Night, Edward."

I watched out the window as the plane climbed through the clouds, leaving Seattle behind us. The last few weeks had been exhausting. Originally, my hope was that our trip to Washington would give us a break, a chance to regroup and recharge. Now I saw it for what it was. We had run away. It was time to go home, to figure out what came next. Time to forge a path forward so to speak.

I'd lived in New York for a little over ten years. This the first time that I can ever truly thinking that it felt like home. It was a bittersweet feeling. I left a lot of things behind in finally declaring that. There would always be a part of me that would be a small town girl. Yet at the same time, I had a whole world waiting for me. I could finally say, with absolute certainty, that I wanted that, and that I was willing to fight for it.

And part of forging a path meant dealing with the scrutiny, with the press coverage, with all the attention. If I wanted this to work, if I wanted us to work, it was time to accept that I was no longer a private figure. That we would always be watched, talked about.

We'd let the media drive us into hiding. We spent so much timing worrying about being photographed or how the family might perceive it, that we'd allowed it to control us. It was time to take that control back.

Edward woke up about a half an hour before we landed. He stretched and leaned awkwardly across the arm rest to lay his head on my shoulder.

"I am starving."

I pulled his baseball cap off and smoothed the hair back from his face. "I didn't want to wake you up; you were so tired. Sorry."

He smiled and nuzzled into my neck. "It's okay. We can grab something on the way home. I could really go for a steak."

"We are dressed kind of scrubby, but want to stop somewhere on the way? I could stand being a carnivore today."

He pulled back to consider me for a second. "You know, there is a good chance that someone could see us out. Photos and all that."

"I thought about a lot of things while you slept. I am tired of letting what everyone else thinks run our lives. So they take pictures of us. I am going to have to learn to deal with it one way or another. What better time than the present?"

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yeah. I need to get over it, or else I am going to miss out on a lot of good stuff."

"That we would." He turned to plant a quick kiss on my cheek. "Besides, I promised you some beach time. The beach in Southampton is relatively private, but there will still be people around to watch."

"That will be your issue Cullen, cause I'll be the one sporting a bikini." I teased. He raised an eyebrow at me, but knew better than to take the bait.

We didn't talk for the remainder of the flight. The landing was uneventful. We quickly deplaned and made our way across the concourse. A few people turned to stare at us, but I meant what I said. I was tired of living my life according to what other people thought.

Once we were on the escalator, I looked back up over my shoulder at Edward.

"You shouldn't have said steak. Now I am starving. How are we getting back to the city? Is Demetri meeting us?"

Edward was looking past me, down the escalator.

"I arranged for someone to pick us up."

I turned to follow his gaze. Standing at the bottom of the escalator was a cluster of people.

Esme.

Tanya.

Jasper with his arm around Alice.

Emmett.

"What are they doing here?" I whispered.

Edward tugged on my ponytail.

"Thought you might want your family here for your homecoming."

We were at the bottom of the escalator. As soon as we were clear, Esme stepped forward, arms open wide.

Edward nudged me forward, and Esme pulled me into a hug.

They weren't here for Edward. They were here for me.

Esme didn't say anything, just rocked me back and forth. So similar to what Edward had done on the beach Thursday night. She rubbed slow circles in my back.

She was being the mom I never had. I felt a knot forming in my throat, overwhelmed at the simplicity of the gesture. Edward was sharing his family with me.

Next thing I knew, Alice and Tanya had stepped in too, enveloping us.

"Oh hell, I am not missing a chance at this." Emmett quipped, as threw his arms around the group to squeeze us all together.

"Can't breathe Emmett!" gasped Alice.

"Please remove your hand from my ass, Em." Tanya teased.

"Oops. Sorry. I thought that was Alice."

Jasper coughed behind us. "Come on, I have a table waiting for us. And I personally could use a very stout drink after seeing that display of estrogen."

Everyone laughed and broke apart. Esme placed a hand on my cheek.

"Don't ever feel like you are alone. You are one of us now." She looked back over her shoulder to see Emmett spinning Tanya around like a large rag doll. "Then again, you might want to rethink that."

I didn't know what to say.

"I think this might be the only time I've ever seen you at a loss for words," Edward whispered in my ear. His arms slipped around my shoulders, so that he could pull me back against him.

"When did you do this?"

"Yesterday morning while you were talking to your dad. You aren't alone, Bella. We aren't going to leave you." He kissed the top of my head, and then let go to pick up his carry on. I didn't know what to say. "Come on, let's go get some food. The family is waiting."

The Nerve - E

Alice pulled Bella away when we got to the cars. "You've had her for a few days, so she's riding with me. I think we need to catch up."

I smiled. Emmett grabbed my arm. "I've got room."

Bella smiled back at me, easing the panic Emmett's invitation had stirred. I didn't know if I was ready. But I'd promised myself leaving Forks that there would be no more delaying the inevitable.

I hadn't expected Emmett to be here at all. When I called my mother and asked her to come, she agreed readily and offered to give Tanya a call. When I saw my brother waiting with everyone, I wondered if she'd had to pressure him or whether he'd come willingly.

There was no way to avoid cameras today. Too many of us. Too obvious. I wondered what it would have looked like if everyone had dressed in disguise. Probably more obvious than just being ourselves. So we dodged and weaved, and tried to act as normal as possible as cameras clicked and "reporters" walked alongside us asking questions.

Jasper, Tanya, Alice, my mom, and Bella all rode in one SUV. I think my mom intended to ride with Emmett, but she took one look at the two of us, nodded, and said, "Do you mind if I join you?" to Bella.

As we pulled away from the airport, Emmett was quiet. His concentration was evident.

"Shit, I had it all planned out what I was going to say, but I can't seem to remember now."

"Want me to start?"

"Nah, then you get to be the big hero, and all that. I wanted to say the right thing for once."

"Emmett, you say the right thing more often than not. You may be the reason I walked out of our family sane." I set myself up there, and I was fully expecting a wise crack about how sanity was relative, but his responding tone was pointed.

"Was it really that bad, Edward? Because I really don't remember it that way. I always saw us as having fun. I thought we had a happy childhood."

I looked at him intently, seeing the lines forming around his eyes, and tight grip he had on the steering wheel. I had a sudden flash of us at as little kids building model cars; he'd always had that same determined expression.

"No, I think you're right. There were little things. Like even back then it seemed like I couldn't do enough to make him happy. He always blamed me for everything."

"But that's because you took it. Hell, Edward, I didn't care. I laughed him off. You took everything he said so literally. He got such a rise out of you."

"Maybe, but you just seemed to have more in common with him, and no matter what I did, I couldn't get him to take an interest."

"You know when Rosalie said that stuff at the Met?" He looked at me, and I nodded. "Did you ever think maybe I felt the same way about mom? You guys just had your own little world, your own room." He paused before continuing tentatively. "And, well, you used to have the library with dad too. You weren't always disconnected."

"Did you mean what you said about the world revolving around me?"

He sighed. "Yeah, a little I guess. I don't think it's intentional or anything, but between mom thinking the sun sets on your ass and dad thinking you're a fuck up, the family does kind of revolve around your issues."

I'd been thinking about that for a while, and I could see his point actually. When I came home from LA, I remember thinking that he had weathered the storm, so to speak. And it was true. It really wasn't ever about him.

"Was it better when I wasn't here?" I didn't know what I would do if he said yes. I wasn't sure I was prepared to make the sacrifice of leaving again.

"Nah, we didn't talk about you any less than. I think you just attract attention, Edward. Must be all that shiny gold."

We both laughed at that reference. "Seriously, Rosalie is feeling pretty torn up. She was just defending me, and she probably did have too much to drink, but she knows she was out of line. Mom explained the whole earring thing, and they had a nice heart to heart. She wanted to be here today too. Haley's teething and has been a total bear lately.

"Have you talked with Dad about it?" I knew talking with Emmett about Rosalie was more contentious than the topic of our father.

"Sure. He's . . . well . . . dad. He said you guys are planning a sit down soon?"

"Yes. I just hope we can keep from killing each other."

"Frankly, that's a fight I'd pay money to see."

"Do you think I've overreacted, Emmett?"

"I used to, but Bella's little speech was pretty sobering. I realized he hasn't been fair to you for a long time. I think maybe you read a bit much into some things, and maybe . . . got a little . . . self righteous? At times." He looked at me sheepishly, probably waiting for an explosion.

"I'm feeling too mellow for conflict, so please explain."

"Well, did you ever apologize to dad for leaving CI?"

"Why would I? He wanted me out."

"No, he didn't. He was devastated when you left. He thought all his scolding would just mean you'd start thinking more about how your actions affected other people. You were kind of thinking with your dick back then. Anyway, he didn't think he'd drive you away. Mom was so pissed at him. You know it's the only fight I ever saw them have in front of me."

"But still, he did drive me away."

"I'm not saying he isn't responsible too, but you pulled some stupid shit, Edward. And it did make us look like flakes, and don't even get me started on what it did to Tanya. So, maybe you have some responsibility in it all too."

"It's a lot to think about." We were getting close to the restaurant. I looked out the window.

"I'm sorry I didn't notice the change in you."

I glanced back at him and raised an eyebrow.

"It was another thing Bella mentioned. We were only seeing you through what we knew about you in the past, and you really have changed." He furrowed his brow. "At first I thought it was because of her, but then I realized that wasn't quite right. You never would have noticed a woman like that before. So, the change must have started sooner. That's when I really felt stupid."

I laughed at him. That was Emmett.

"I didn't help you see it."

"I'm glad you found her, Edward."

It was a simple statement; I knew what he meant. "Thank you for coming today."

"Thanks for coming back, man." He pulled up to the valet. "Especially since we're about to con mom into buying lunch or whatever the heck you want to call a meal at this time of day."

A Brain - B

It was early enough that there wasn't a crowd when we got to the restaurant. A large table was already set up for us in the back, bottles of wine open. Rolling with the Cullens definitely had its advantages.

"Sorry, they didn't have a private room, or I would have gone that route."

I waved him off. "Don't sweat it, JW. I am going to take my fear of cameras head on from here out."

Alice looked at me like I had two heads. "Who are you, and what did you do with my Bella?"

"Nothing. I am just tired of being hidden away. Not that isn't nice being locked in an apartment with Edward every weekend, but I am getting a bit claustrophobic."

"HEY!" Emmett protested, turning red. "My mom is at the table, ixnay on the…"

"Oh please, Emmett. You father and I humped like bunnies when we first started dating."

I don't know which was better, the gasp of "Mother" from Emmett, or Edward choking on his wine.

"I'm telling you, Bella. I don't know what it is about the Cullen men. They get all uptight talking about sex, but…" Esme trailed off, smiling suggestively. Tanya was almost in tears she was laughing so hard.

"Not so fast there. I've got all kinds of ammunition on you." Edward warned across the table. "Should we talk about what Jasper and I walked in on summer of our Junior year?"

"You wouldn't!" She shot back. "Actually, you would, but I can one up you, and I think it was the same summer."

The evening continued on in that vein. Stories of the four musketeers growing up. Most of them had color commentary from Esme, a lot of times with details no one else thought that she knew. It reminded me of a comment that Edward made once about a childhood full of laughter. If this was an example, I envied him. It would have been great to grow up with this.

"Hey JW, can you top me off please?" I held out my wine glass to him.

"I can't take this anymore." Emmett tossed down his napkin. "Why the hell do you call him JW? Is this some little cute nickname that you and Alice came up with? I've been trying to figure out why you call that, and it's driving me nuts!"

I looked across at Jasper. There was an answer, but it was his secret to be told. He smiled and nodded his head.

"Are you telling it, or am I?" I asked him.

"You start. I'll jump in if needed."

"Do you know what I do for a living, Emmett?"

He nodded. "You work at a publishing company."

"Right, but do you know what I do?"

He shook his head, unsure of where I was going.

"I'm an editor. I have a bunch of different authors that I work with, but my most famous is Jack Hale. Have you ever heard of him?"

Emmett's gaze shifted away for a split second, as if suddenly uncomfortable. "No, I don't think so."

"Oh, come on, Emmett. They are great western novels, really good stuff," Tanya chimed in. She had caught it too. "Not Brokeback Mountain at all."

"If I remember correctly, when we were younger, Emmett classified Westerns as a cover for men's romance novels." Edward interjected.

"Jack Hale books are definitely not your cliché westerns by any means, Emmett." Alice picked up on the teasing, hoping to egg him on.

"I know they're not…" He protested. Immediately recognizing his slip, Emmett quickly back tracked. "Okay, yeah, I picked the first one up on a business trip and liked 'em. Keep telling your story."

"Well, the author wanted to protect his privacy. His family wasn't a big fan of the genre, so we went for a pen name. It took a while to come up with 'Jack Hale,' so in the early stages, we called it the Johnny Walker book. The first time I saw the author, he took super long strides that reminded me of the image of Johnny Walker on the old scotch label, plus the initials matched.

"You never told me that is why you picked Johnny Walker! I thought it was because I was smooth like a good glass of scotch!" Jasper groused. I may have forgotten to tell him that part.

"You? Smooth? You don't want me to tell some of my stories!" I shot back.

"Wait a minute. Jasper, you are Jack Hale?" Esme was shocked.

"Guilty as charged. Sixth book should be out in the fall."

"10 million copies sold. I've know Jasper for six years. Kind of ironic when you think about it."

Emmett turned to Jasper in disbelief. "And after knowing her and how cool she was, you still let her date my brother?"

"Thanks for the vote of confidence guys. It's not like he set us up or anything," Edward shot back. It was all good natured fun, and he was rolling with it.

"There is absolute irony in this moment. Let's all pause for a moment and appreciate my brother complaining about being set up with someone."

"Just remember how you met your wife, Emmett."

"Exactly!" Emmett shot back.

We all broke into laughter. Edward mumbled something under his breath and went back to playing with my ponytail.

The evening began to ramp down after that. We all said our goodbyes, and Emmett dropped us off at Edward's building.

We were both punchy and slight buzzed from a decent amount of red wine. It felt good. It seemed that we had somehow managed to bring back a bit of the lightness we had found in Washington after all.

As soon as the door to the apartment opened, I kicked off my shoes and ran for the bedroom shouting "You can't catch me!"

I vaulted onto the bed, grabbed a pillow and flopped backwards.

"Do you know how much I love that no matter which way I lay, no part of me hangs off our bed? No more fighting for space, no more falling out! No more accusations of me being a blanket hog!"

I stretched out on the bed, enjoying the space, the soft duvet, the fluffy pillows. When he didn't join me, I propped up on my elbows to look around. Edward stood leaning against the doorway, smiling.

"What are you grinning about?"

He pulled of his baseball hat and tossed it into the corner of the room, then crawled up on the bed next to me.

"Since when is it 'our' bed?"

"Is that what I called it?"

He nodded, not losing the smile.

"And why does that make you happy?"

"Any use of 'our' usually works, but I like that you feel at home here."

"You are bound and determined to make me believe you, aren't you?" I teased. I knew what he meant, but was too tired to be serious.

"If I have to remind you every day, I will." He paused, watching me, waiting for me to say something. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Tired. Physically and emotionally. Tonight was just what I needed though. Thank you for loaning me your family."

Edward reached out to take my hand, turning it palm up so that he could trace the lines. "I didn't loan them to you, Bella. They're your family too. Baggage or no, we Cullen's are kind of a package deal."

As difficult and draining as all the family drama had been over the past week, it seemed to serve two purposes. First and foremost, it was a catalyst towards resolution. None of the conversations would be easy, but at least we each had places to start.

It had also crystallized our intentions towards each other. There could be no confusion about where this was going, or what either of us wanted. There were things to be dealt with first, but that constant beacon would always sit on the horizon as a promise of what could be.

"You and Emmett seemed to be getting along okay at dinner. I'm guessing you talked in the car?"

Edward didn't look up, his focus still on my palm. "Something like that. It was strange to hear the brother I've always looked up to say that he's basically jealous of me. I never really stopped to think that in a way, they were right. Everything always has been about me. If I were Emmett, I don't think I'd like me very much."

"But you figured things out?"

He smiled as he continued to trace the lines in my hand. "I don't know if we solved world hunger, but it's a start."

We lay there quietly, enjoying the peace that came with finally being home.

A Heart - E

A week of dealing with our collective family dramas. And I couldn't bring myself to regret a single moment of it.

Because we were at home. In "our" bed.

This is what it was all about. I had wondered if this existed in today's society. I thought maybe it died out with my parent's generation. But it was right here. I wanted it, but I feared it too. Longevity had never been my strong suit, and I hated to think I might do something to mess this up. I would never be able to live with myself if I hurt her, and if she left me . . . well, I didn't think I could survive that.

I closed my eyes.

I cut my way through the thick cloud of thoughts fogging my serenity.

I had to face my dad. Everything that happened in Washington and talking with Emmett had me in a strange place in regards to that meeting. I wasn't ready to go running to him for a long overdue father/son hug, but my mind was open. If he was willing to listen, I was starting to think progress was possible.

I'd been wrong that night at the Met though. I wasn't ready to leave my family again. Not when it seemed I finally had them back.

I opened my eyes, to see Bella looking at me intently. I smiled back at her and squeezed her hand.

A Home - B

"So no more running away to Iowa, right?"

His smile grew a little bit bigger. "No, but I might buy us a vacation house there, just for fun."

I rolled my eyes. "Okay, enough trust fund wise cracks. No offense to the lovely folks of Iowa, but I think there are other spots I'd rather vacation."

We joked around for a bit longer before curling up to go to sleep.

I lay there for a while in the dark, decompressing and listening to the familiar sounds of the apartment. Edward's breathing had become slow and rhythmic, indicating that he had slipped into a deep sleep.

No running away anymore. Time to dig in and figure things out. New York ruled out the need for lawn mower, but there were other parts of the dream that wouldn't go away.

His warm hand on my stomach was a reminder of that.

E/N: We are so happy about the positive response this story has received. Alice (mmm_feathers) deserves some special love along with the new BATgirls who came over from the B&W thread thanks to some serious pimping by our girl Jennde.

We knew the last few chapters haven't been quite the Met, but some of you have been a little quiet. We'd love to hear what you're thinking.

So, hit that review button and tell us what you thought of the homecoming. Whose presence surprised you most? No Rose and no Carlisle just yet.

No more Iowa, but we might make you long for another vowel state next chapter. Take your guesses as to why and how.