Disclaimer: All the Twilight stuff belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I'm just playing in her sandbox.

Chapter 12 Flight

EPOV

We were called to board and the flight was uneventful. Charlie tried to make some type of small talk with me but I knew he wasn't one for conversation. I had to hand it to him though, his thoughts were sincere and he was trying to get to be pleasant. He kept reminding himself of how happy his daughter was. He trusted her and he figured that if she loved me that much there must be something to me. Charlie was having a difficult time with the fact that his daughter was grown up and married, he still thought of her as his little girl. Renee had reminded him of what he would want for Bella in a husband, and he had realized that I wasn't the worst thing on the planet that could have happened to her. She was financially secure, in love, and he saw that I was ridiculously overprotective of her when it came to her safety or to anything (or anyone) hurting her. He approved of that, he was just that way as well.

Bella slept on my shoulder. She had a hard time getting comfortable with the cast still on her leg, and Carlisle had insisted she still wear it when she expected to walk some distance, like in the airport terminals. Once she was asleep I didn't move so that I would not disturb her.

"She's still sleeping, huh", Charlie said as the announcement came on that we were about to land. "I guess the last couple of days have been kind of rough on her with all the guests and the new house and all. I'm sorry I added to that, Edward. I see you are really good to her and I appreciate that. I guess it's hard not to just see her as my little girl."

"I'm sure she will always be your little girl, Charlie. She just wants to be my wife as well!", I said as we buckled out seat belts.

He nodded, "That's right, I know that's right. I just hope there's no hard feelings you know, between us. I want to keep my family close and it seems you are a part of that now!"

"It's in the past, Charlie. I just don't react well to anything that in any way threatens to separate me from her. Being apart from her is not something I can bring myself to even consider."

Bella stirred as I moved to snap my seat belt and hers. She rubbed her eyes sleepily and kissed my neck. "Are we there yet?", She asked, her voice hoarse from sleep.

"We are", Charlie told her, "Time to wake up sleepy head! Sue should be here to get us as soon as we get our bags!"

Charlie had arranged for Sue to pick us up at the airport and I once again found myself anxious. I really didn't like for anyone else to drive especially when it involved Bella being in the car!

"Not far now, Sue should be waiting at baggage claim!", Charlie announced. Bella looked tired to me so I was not surprised when she suggested that she wanted a coke with ice to drink.

"Baby, you go with your Dad and I'll find you a coke, I don't want you walking so far on that leg, OK?", I offered.

"Alright, meet us in baggage claim?"

"Be there in a minute, love."

She and Charlie continued on to get the bags. Charlie had not called Sue since he left, his mind was going through their last conversation when he had told her he was bringing Bella back home with him. Huh. I listened to make sure everything was alright while I bought the coke for Bella and headed to find them.

Charlie spotted Sue. They had both Charlie's bag and ours and were waiting for me. I chuckled to myself. Sue's mind was racing, she saw only Bella and the one bag that she had with her and assumed that Charlie had succeeded in getting her to leave me and come home with him. I felt as though I was on fire I was so angry. He had discussed his plans in detail with Sue and though she had told him it might not work out that way because she thought Bella was in love with me, he had flown to Highlands confident in his resolve. She was starring at Bella in disbelief that he had accomplished his goal! They had just finished hugging when I rounded the corner.

"Here you are, love. One coke!", I said as I smirked and handed it to her.

"Sue, nice to see you!", I offered her my hand and she reluctantly shook it. "Thanks for getting our bag, Charlie!", I said as I took it from him making a point of being overly pleasant, "Ready to go?"

"You have room for all of us, Sue?", Charlie asked.

"Sure, I even cleaned the car out!", Sue laughed. "Edward, do you have a bag to go get?"

"No, Bella and I just have the one bag, thanks. We didn't bring a lot since I was unsure of the trunk size in the R8 and I didn't know if Bella wanted to bring things home with us from her room!"

"Baby, that's right! I can take some of the things I left behind home with us! Alice must have thought of that when she packed only the one bag for us!", Bella said excitedly.

Charlie frowned slightly but started making his way towards the terminal parking area. I put my arm around Bella as we walked towards the parking lot, "Are you really excited, love?"

"I am. I haven't been this excited since Dad got the truck for me!" She looked up at me with those chocolate eyes, "I can't wait to see my car! It's times like this that I wish I spoke Car and Driver so that I could have an idea of what you bought for me!"

I laughed so hard and Charlie laughed with me! Her enthusiasm was infectious. Sue's mind was racing - she was having a hard time understanding why Charlie seemed so at ease and was even laughing and joking with me! Her thoughts turned to her tribe and she thought of the cold ones. She knew about me. She was worried for Bella's safety around me and for what the tribe would decide about the treaty since our marriage seemed a threat to Bella's safety. I picked back up on something Charlie was telling her verbally,

" . . . and you should see the house he built for her, Sue, I'll tell you it is just beautiful, four bedrooms and real roomy. Room for kids down the road, though if these two don't start coming out of their room once in a while, I may be a grandfather before you know it!", he said it as he mussed up Bellas' hair and she blushed as red as I had ever seen her.

I leaned in and kissed her on the cheek and nuzzled her neck as Sue watched in the rear view mirror. "No, Dad, we need to see some of the world, maybe a few years of college, who knows. Definitely waiting awhile to have kids, if we ever do!", she told him.

Sue looked horrified. She was afraid for Bella when she saw me go for her neck and she almost lost it at the idea that we could be having sex. She didn't think that was possible and Bella survive! "Are you staying at your old house, Edward?", Sue asked pensively.

Bella looked at me and I shrugged. "We can stay wherever you want. As long as I'm with you it doesn't matter where we stay!", I told her.

"Bella, your old room is all ready for you! Charlie had me clean and freshen it for you before he left!". Sue froze as if she had said something wrong and looked to Charlie.

Charlie sheepishly and quietly looked at Sue and said, "They know that I came there to get Bella to come back here alone, Sue. We worked it out, me and my new son-in-law. He's good to her Sue". He glanced over his shoulder to the two of us in the backseat, "Besides, you'd have to surgically remove them from each other! Ha!", he rolled his eyes at us and we all laughed, but it was a tense, uneasy truce for Sue. We would have to have a talk and soon.

"Where will you two be staying then, Bella, if it is your decision?", Charlie asked my wife.

"Well Dad, it will be late when we get to Forks and Sue already made the room ready for us, so I suppose we can stay with you tonight, maybe for a couple of days. We have to get my car anyway!" Charlie stiffened, his thoughts going to how uncomfortable I would be for him if Bella and I were sleeping in the same bed in his house given what he had heard the other night. He guessed he just needed to get used to it. Wow, he really was going to try and accept us as a couple! Seems that talk Renee had with him really mattered to him, caused him to think a lot of things over!

"Edward, how do you know it will run? It has sat there over 6 months not being cranked!", Charlie allowed. "I sent a mechanic from the dealership over to service, clean and check it out. I wanted it shiny when Bella saw it for the first time!", I said as I kissed her lightly on the lips.

"If you want to stay at Charlie's that's fine. We have no time schedule. We can stay as long as you like at Charlie's or at my old house. I do need to at least check on the old house and see that everything is alright. The utilities are still on and a caretaker has been looking after it but all the furniture is still there and there might be something there we want sent home anyway! I'm dying to get to my piano!" Charlie's mind raced, thorough that kid, I'll give him that!

BPOV

I had mixed feelings as we pulled up in front of my fathers house in Forks. I hadn't left under the best of circumstances and I was hoping to make up for that. Edward was with me now.

Edward.

How many nights had I spent in that room thinking I would never see him again, that he didn't care for me. I looked at my hand in his, he seemed always to keep contact with me in some way, even riding in the car he had kept hold of my hand. It seemed too perfect to be true, dreamlike really. Edward was here, he loved me, I was his wife, and he would never leave me again. I had to let go of my fears and insecurities and believe him. He gave me no reason to doubt him, and many reasons to love him.

I jumped out of the car as soon as it stopped, not waiting to be helped out and nearly stumbling over a branch in the yard. Edward caught hold of my elbow with ease and steadied me.

"Careful, love! You need to make it to the car you know!", he chided me with a smile.

"Edward it's beautiful!" I said as I ran my hand down the front hood, "I love it, sweetheart!", I said as I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him, probably too passionately for being in front of my Dad, but I just couldn't help it! The car was perfect. I opened the door and sat down. The seats were baby soft and the dash looked like something out of an airplane!

"The extra keys should be in the console, along with the owners manual and I left a set of keys with Charlie when I left the car here", Edward told me.

Since it was dark I decided to wait till morning to drive the car, I was really tired from the day of traveling. Despite the fact that the accident was over three months ago, I had still not regained my stamina. Edward took our bag to my old room while I went to the kitchen to see what Sue was doing. From the smell of it, she had prepared Charlie a welcome home meal and I wanted to make sure we were not intruding.

"So, are you going for a drive?", Sue asked, looking around uncomfortably, I have dinner ready and I can easily make enough for all of us if you are hungry - Charlie didn't tell me you had agreed to come back for a visit!"

"No, Sue, don't go to any trouble. I want to go for a ride in my car, Edward and I will grab something while we are out, please, don't worry over us! Enjoy your meal, tell Dad we will be back later, OK!"

I turned to go to the stairs just as Edward was coming down them. "Let's go", I said much to his surprise. "Is something wrong, love?', he asked as he looked around the room. "No, no, nothing is wrong. Sue cooked diner for Charlie and it would just be easier if we went for a ride and got something for us to eat while we were out."

"Ah, got it."

Edward already had the keys in his pocket and his wallet so we were out the door.

It was late when we got back, laughing and talking as we came through the door. Charlie was just finishing the news, checking the sports scores as usual. We didn't stop to chat really, just a goodnight from the stairs as Edward effortlessly carried me up them. Edward opened our bag while I took a human moment in the bathroom. I returned to my room to view something I honestly had only thought I'd see in my dreams. Edward was lying in bed, covers turned down and hands behind his head - and he appeared to be naked . . . in my bed.

Edward was naked in my bed.

I could not join him fast enough.

It was late morning by the time I woke up, my husband was awake, of course. I briefly wondered what it had been like for him to be in this room with me asleep in his arms again, as we had spent so many nights before he had left. It was totally different now. Our months of chaste kisses and sleeping with blankets between us were gone. My teeth still chattered sometimes when we first embraced under the covers, but we had found that his body warmed after exposure to mine for awhile and with enough covers over us to keep me warm, he soon warmed to a temperature that was comfortable for me. We had an electric blanket at home to speed up that process and I just realized there was one over us here as well. Alice.

I snuggled into him, stroking him gently as he moved to hover over me. Our lovemaking was soft this morning, quiet and gentle as it had been last night. We were in no particular hurry and had no goal in mind, just loving caresses from each other and the gently rocking rhythm of our bodies molding together as one. There was little need for words, our eyes and bodies gave everything away.

We showered and while I dressed, Edward went downstairs to make breakfast. He did that often, make breakfast for me that is. He was really good at it and genuinely seemed to enjoy doing it for me, though, of course, he never ate with me. I managed the stairs by myself, not stopping to put the brace on my leg this morning, and seemingly managing to surprise Edward - not an easy thing to do. I walked to the stove and put my arms around his waist as he finished cooking bacon for me.

"I'm sorry love, I would have carried you down the stairs, you should have called me!"

"I wanted to try it, besides, you must have been lost in our thoughts not to have heard all the noise I made!"

"I was. I was just remembering the last time I was here, finding out that you had gone and the time before that when I left you", he shuddered, "It's just . . . a lot."

"Why don't I eat this delicious breakfast you have made for me, then lets go to our meadow! If I remember, it is still pretty this time of year!"

"I would love to go to our meadow with you", he said turning to face me and kiss my forehead and cheek.

We headed out the door, Edward insisting I put the brace back on my leg before we left. He was right, I could feel that the leg was not strong yet, and while little bits of standing on it were fine, a full day might be a bad idea, though I knew he wasn't letting me walk to the meadow.

The ride in my new car was glorious. I could not yet drive it, I had to learn to use the clutch and that wasn't possible with the brace on my foot. It didn't matter. Watching my 110 year old husband drive my car was like watching a small boy who had just been allowed to play with a favorite toy. The grin never left his face! I had to admit, not only was the car sleek and beautiful from the outside, the seats were soft as velvet and the ride was amazingly smooth. The engine sounded like it was purring quietly, yet the available power was unmistakable.

"I love the car, sweetheart!". I told him as I reached over and placed a hand to rest on his thigh. He beamed at me with that crooked smile of his.

"I am so glad you like it! I think you will really enjoy driving it, love, as soon as you're able. Thank you for accepting a gift so well, I so enjoy giving you things!"

"I believe, Mr. Cullen, that it is me who should be thanking you. After all, I'm the one who got the gift! What was the occasion supposed to be anyway, it was after Christmas when you bought the car, it wasn't Valentines day or my birthday either!"

"It was 'I'm an idiot please forgive me' day!", he said with a smile. The smile left and a pained expression crossed his face, "Flowers or candy just didn't seem big enough to go with the apology I needed to deliver and the begging I had planned to do."

We arrived at the end of the small road that led to the path to our meadow. Edward opened the passenger door before I realized that he had even gotten out of the car. Vampire speed could be a little unnerving! He lifted me from the car and kissed me as he set me on my feet.

"Would you like a ride, Mrs. Cullen?", he offered with a twinkle in his eyes.

I grabbed the backpack that contained a blanket and some snacks for me.

"Up you go!", he said as he swung me onto his back! He sped through the forest just like we used to do and it was every bit as exhilarating as I remembered. I don't know why I had felt the need before to close my eyes. I rested my chin on his shoulder and enjoyed the feel of the air rushing across my face, and gently kissed his neck.

We reached the meadow in only a very few minutes. I remembered that it had taken me several hours to walk there both with Edward that first time and by myself later. It was a beautiful morning, crisp and warm for fall, and the sun was trying to peek through the cloud cover. I had hoped to see the amazing reflections that danced everywhere off Edwards skin in the sun! We spread the blanket and sat down together.

"I love this meadow, Bella. I remember the first time I brought you here. I was so afraid I'd hurt you!", he told me as he played with a strand of my hair. "I feel safe here, sharing my meadow with you and I want you to feel safe talking to me about our time apart!"

"What is it that you want to know?"

"Everything, Bella. I want to know everything about you. There is no need for secrets between us and there is no threat of either of us ever leaving the other, you must know that by now!"

My heart melted. He knew just the right thing to say to put me at ease. He wasn't going to leave me, no matter how crazy I had been without him.

"I collapsed in the woods after I chased after you, Edward. I ran and ran and ran to find you. When it got dark, I just crumbled into a ball and everything went black. Sam found me, Sam Uley from the reservation. He carried me to Dad's. I couldn't talk, I couldn't eat, and I sat at your old table alone in the lunchroom at school. I didn't return calls to my friends, so after awhile they stopped calling. I had horrible nightmares every night. I would wake to Charlie holding me."

"Eventually it got so bad that Charlie called Renee to take me back to Jacksonville with her but when she got here, I wouldn't go. I screamed at them. Doctors were called and they recommended I be medicated, but I refused. To try and keep Mom and Charlie from forcing me to do something I didn't want to do, like leave town either to Jacksonville or some hospital, I arranged to go out and see my friends."

Edward listened intently. He didn't interrupt but just kept stroking the backs of my knuckles as he held my hand. I told him about the movie with Jessica and getting on the strangers bike, and doing dangerous things because I saw his face and heard his voice. He had been trying not to interrupt, but a gasp of air hissed between his teeth when I told him I did dangerous things just to see him.

"Edward, I found two old motorcycles and I took them to Jacob on the reservation and asked him to help me fix them up. After they were done, we rode all over the trails in La Push. As I became a better rider, I had to do more and more difficult things for it to be dangerous enough for me to see you, to hear you tell me to be safe, not to do whatever it was I was doing. Edward, I had to see you and it was the only way! Jacob tried to talk sense into me but I wouldn't listen.

His arms were around me instantly. "It's alright, Bella. I'm right here. I've got you!"

"Edward, I became so good at riding, I couldn't see you - I didn't hear you telling me to stop, to be safe. I had to find a way to see you!", I wiped my nose on my sleeve. I starred into Edward's pained face and told him what I had been fearing most to say.

"I talked Jacob into going cliff diving off the high cliff at laPush. You were there, on the cliff with me, begging me not to jump, to be safe. I saw you as clear as day as I jumped off the cliff, and in the water below. I was knocked out on the rocks at the bottom and Jacob pulled me to shore."

"Dear God Bella, you could have been killed and it would have been all my fault!", I exclaimed. I was sick to my core, I couldn't believe the depths of pain I had caused. She had always loved me every bit as much as I loved her and I had thought she would move on. I was a fool.

"When we got back to Jacob's house that afternoon, Charlie met us there and we all found out Billy had been taken to the hospital. He died that evening. Charlie was furious about the bikes and the cliff diving. Turns out he had seen me jump that morning!"

I paused to take a breath but I could not look at him. I sat and fiddled with my fingers.

"After the funeral, Jacob couldn't stay. He was leaving and I had to go with him. He had been there for me and I couldn't let him leave alone when he was hurting and needed someone. We took the bikes and left going to Calgary, Alberta, to a guy he knew who had a Harley drag racing team. We didn't know that was where we were going when we left, but Jacob saw a billboard in Seattle and he thought maybe his friend would give him a job."

"Well he was right, Dale hired Jacob as a mechanic and I was a receptionist. To make a long story short, I had to see you. They had asked me to get one of the bikes off the trailor and bring it into the garage at the track one day, and I saw the drag strip in front of me, and I just had to see you - it had been so long since I had sen you, Edward. Anyway, I roared off down the track fast on the bike and you were there. Dale, the owner of the team, saw me ride and asked me to race for them. Apparently I am a really good rider! The rest you know. I was just afraid you would leave when you found out how crazy I had been!"

"Bella, do you remember me telling you about thinking I was kissing you only to have a mouth full of cobwebs while I was kissing my knee? Which one of us was crazier, I ask you?"

Edward became quiet for a long moment, and still . . . impossibly still. He looked as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders. He met my gaze and asked,

"Bella . . . did you ever think of moving on, of finding comfort with someone else I mean, Jacob?"

My breathing stopped cold. I guess I had not expected this question, but I had to be honest.