Chapter Two

Bella

When Edward, Alice, and I got back from Italy everything was different yet outwardly the same. Jasper and Carlisle were waiting for us at the airport and I expected Alice to rush into his arms but instead she went straight to Carlisle to tell him what had happened and I saw the hurt look on his face before it was concealed behind his usual stoic exterior. Edward hadn't let go of me since we left Volterra for which I was grateful, I felt very shaky, just coming down from a fear fueled adrenaline high. As we slipped into the back seat of Carlisles car I looked out to see Alice and Jasper talking, or at least he was talking and she was listening but I saw her shake her head a few times as we drove away.

"So Bella, home safe again. I'm afraid you are in a lot of trouble with Charlie, he's been over and he's livid about you taking off with Alice. I was going to cover for you, tell him you'd come to us hearing Edward was back but I'm afraid Jacob Black beat me to it. I'm not sure exactly what he told Charlie but I don't think it helped matters."

"You're back in Forks?"

"Yes, when Alice rang to say you'd gone to save Edward we decided there was no point in staying away any longer, luckily the hospital were very understanding when I told them we'd had a family crisis. Esme is dying to see you but I think perhaps you'd better go home and face the music. Edward you'd better stay away until we know how much trouble Bella is in."

Despite feeling that I would die if I didn't get him back, all the heartbreak, and pain, I didn't care that he would have to leave me this time. The dynamics of our relationship had shifted. Edward had spent the whole flight holding me close and telling me how much he loved me, how he'd been lost without me, how his stone heart had broken, and all the days and nights he had spent agonizing over his decision, if he'd been right, how he couldn't live without me in his life. Not once did he stop to ask how I had coped, how hurt I'd been or what I'd done since he left. Edward was back and that was enough, all the pain just vanished as if he'd never left, for him at least.

As we drew up I saw the curtains twitch in the hall, Charlie was waiting, both barrels loaded and the gun cocked probably!

Edward opened the door for me and kissed me gently,

"I'll be back later love"

I shook my head,

"I don't think that's a good idea Edward, I need to sort things out with Charlie. Ring me in the morning."

He wasn't happy but when Carlisle added his weight to the argument he gave in.

Taking a deep breath I grabbed my bag and walked up the path to Charlie who stood arms folded in the open doorway. He moved aside to let me pass then walked out and down to Carlisle's car. Carlisle and Edward got out to talk to him and I saw Charlie doing a lot of talking while Edward stood silent and Carlisle only spoke a few words then they got back in the car and drove off.

Charlie came in and slammed the front door loudly before turning to me, his face hard and angry.

"In the lounge, now."

I knew I was in for some harsh words but I intended to accept them in silence, I knew how worried he must have been, especially when he thought about how my last absence ended.

"Well? What do you have to say for yourself young lady?"

"Only sorry Dad"

"Sorry? Do you have any idea how worried I've been? What made you think it would be OK to just disappear with Alice Cullen? What were you thinking? Your Mother and I have been worried sick. Just wait till she gets hold of you. I've a good mind to send you back with her, you've obviously got no respect for me."

"I'm sorry Dad but I did leave a note"

"Oh yeah I read it, it didn't tell me anything though and last time you disappeared you ended up comatose for weeks and the time before that in intensive care. That Cullen boy is a really bad influence on you Bella. I want you to stay away from him. I've told him and his father that he's not welcome here any longer. I never did like him and now I detest the boy. As for you...you have two choices, you can go back with Renee when she and Phil get here or you can stay under my roof but you play by my rules from now on."

"I don't want to go back to Florida"

"You might when you hear my new rules."

I shook my head but I didn't say anything, it would only make the situation worse.

"It's very simple Bella, you go to school you come home, do you homework, stay in your room if you like but no going out, no Edward. At weekends you go to work and come home. No evenings out with friends or Edward until I feel you can be trusted. You're grounded for the foreseeable future. Angela, Jessica, Mike, school friends, can visit but no Cullens, this is a Cullen Free Zone. Do you still want to stay?"

"Yes"

"OK then. I know I can't stop you seeing Edward at School so make the most of of it, if I find you skip lessons to be with him or you meet him other than in School I'm shipping you straight back to Renee."

I'd expected this so it wasn't a shock and the sad thing was that I didn't even mind that much. I was way behind on School Work now so it would give me an opportunity to catch up. Before he'd left the very thought of not seeing Edward was painful but no longer. If he could leave me once he could do it again and it wasn't worth the pain any longer. Ironically I would probably miss Alice and Emmett more than Edward under the new rules.

And so my incarceration started, the first week was hard, not going for coffee with Angela, or chatting with Alice after classes, not going to the Cullens but mainly not being desperate to see Edward. He met me at school in the Car Park and walked me to lessons but his arm around me which had felt secure and warm now felt like ownership. He expected that everything would go back to the way it had been and it didn't, not for me anyway. The overpowering need for him was gone, my love had been destroyed and it was entirely his fault. Alice wasn't in class all week and when I asked Edward all he said was that she had gone to visit friends with Jasper. So as I left my window shut for the third night in a row I knew it was over, I just had to find a way to break it to Edward.