Chapter 8: Home Again

Bella woke up to the sound of her alarm going off and bit her lower lip as she turned off her alarm. She sat up in her bed, pushing her hair from her eyes. She was home, she had been home for three days. She hadn't seen the Cullens since she returned home also Jacob was attached to her since her rescue. However, her mind kept going back to Edward. "Bella, you coming down kiddo?" Charlie asked through the door, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"Yeah," she replied.

She got out of bed, showered, blew dry her hair, and got ready for school.

Bella got out of her truck to see Emmett's jeep sitting in the parking lot. "Finally," she said quietly. She walked over to find Alice standing by a wall talking to Jasper. "Alice," she called. Alice looked over at her.

"Hey Bella, how are you doing?" Alice asked hugging her.

"I'm doing alright, what happened to you guys?" She asked.

"We had to take a few days to get feed for awhile, we hardly hunted during our search," Jasper explained.

"How did you guys stand around the pack then?" Bella asked.

"We didn't, we made sure we were as far from them as possible," Alice replied.

Bella bit her lower lip as they walked up the steps to the school. "How are you doing?" Alice asked.

"I'm fine, why?" She answered.

"Well, usually someone who was brought home from being kidnapped are happy to be home," Jasper commented.

"I'm fine," Bella repeated.

She put her hands in her pockets and let out a sigh. "I need to talk to Carlisle after school," she informed. They nodded and went to their classes.

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Bella pulled up to the Cullen house in her truck and got out, looking around. She walked up the steps and knocked on the door. Esme opened the door with a kind smile. "Bella hello," she greeted.

"Hi Esme, is Carlisle here?" She asked.

"Yes, he's upstairs," Esme replied letting her in.

Bella nodded and went upstairs to Carlisle's office. She knocked on the door and waited patiently. "Come in," Carlisle answered. She opened the door and peeked inside.

"Carlisle?" She called.

"Bella, hello come in," he told her smiling.

Bella walked in and closed the door, noticing the wrist cuff sitting on his desk. Carlisle saw her staring at it and cleared his throat, putting it into the drawer of his desk. "I've kept meaning to put that away," he commented.

"It's alright," she answered.

Carlisle nodded. "How are you doing since the kidnapping?" he asked.

"I'm fine," Bella replied.

"What can I do for you?" He asked.

"I know that was Edward's, I knew before he practically threw it back at you," she commented.

Carlisle sighed a little, moving his fingers through his hair. "I'm surprised he didn't hurt you after he kept insisting on how my ways of living life are foolish," he answered.

"What?" She asked confused.

The much older vampire sighed, tapping his fingers on the desk. "Nothing, just something that happened two hundred years ago," he replied. She bit her lower lip. "Just proves to show that sometimes the decisions you make aren't good for everyone as you hope," he added.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

Carlisle looked at her again and sat back in his chair. "For many years it was just Edward and me. I couldn't save his mother, Elizabeth, and Edward's life was slipping away fast. I didn't want to lose the only child and family I had left so I turned him. Just think of it on the outlook of a father who is watching their child die. Years later, Edward comes to me and says that what I am doing is foolish and he wants nothing to do with anymore and that I should've let him die. I hadn't seen him again until we rescued you," Carlisle explained. Bella bit her lower lip and played with her bracelet.

"Carlisle, is there a chance we'll ever see him again?" She asked.

"Bella, I think you should just continue to live like you did before you met Edward," he replied.

Bella bit her lower lip and looked at the floor, feeling a little disappointed by his words. "Why…Bella…" Carlisle suddenly trailed off and saw the saddened expression on his face.

"Thank you for saving me," she told him.

She got up from the chair and left the house after that.

Bella had pulled up to Jacob's house to see him standing outside talking to his friends. "Bella hey," he called smiling. She put on her best smile.

"Hey Jake," she answered.

Jacob jumped over the rail of the porch and walked over to her. "I tried to get a hold of you earlier, what happened?" He asked.

"Stop worrying, I was just…" she started.

"Talking to the Cullens," Jacob finished, backing up a little.

"Jake not today please," she sighed, pressing her hand against her forehead.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

He placed his hand on her shoulder, having her look up at him. "Nothing…I'm just, I'm a little tired the last few days have been weird," she replied.

"You okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, just adjusting to being back home," she replied.

Jacob stroked her face with a small smile and hugged her close. Bella hugged him back, biting her lower lip. She rested her head on his shoulder and sighed. "I love you," he whispered into her hair. Bella wrapped her arms around his back and closed her eyes.

"I love you Jake," she answered.

That night, Bella was in her room looking over her notes for her chemistry class when she heard tapping on her window. She looked over and saw Jacob there. She got off her bed and opened the window. "What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Thought I'd come by and see you," he replied.

Bella smiled a little and he kissed her forehead, wrapping his arms around her tiny waist. "La Push is kind of far from Forks," she commented. He chuckled lightly, pressing his forehead to her shoulder.

"I just want to be with you," he replied, rubbing her back.

"Does your dad know you're over here?" She asked.

"He knows I just disappear during the night sometimes, since I'm still new to this whole changing into a wolf thing," he replied.

Bella laughed a little. "I waited until your dad was asleep before sneaking up here," he added. They moved over to her bed and Bella sat down with Jacob sitting next to her, his arm wrapped around her shoulders. "Can I ask you something?" He asked.

"You already did," she replied.

He nudged her a little chuckling. "But sure," she murmured. He held onto her hand, moving his thumb over her skin.

"Did he…do anything to you?" He asked.

Bella glanced at him and sighed. "No, I mean at first I think he wanted to, but then he just kept me protected from the rest of the coven," she replied. She rested her head on his shoulder. "Instead of thinking of him being a disgusting vampire, Jake, you should also be thankful that he kept me safe," she explained. Jacob sighed, moving his hand over her arm.

"Yeah, I guess," he murmured.

"Not all vampires are bad Jake, he wasn't bad," she answered.

She rested her head on his chest, biting her lower lip. Bella closed her eyes and sleep took over her, feeling Jake's arms wrapped around her, keeping her sheltered from the cool air coming in from her window.