A/N: I do not own Twilight. Stephanie Myers does, I'm just obsessed with the characters.

This is the first story I have ever written.

Please leave a review, good or bad. This is a learning experience for me. I would appreciate any constructive criticism that would make me a better writer.

Sincere thank you to Yeah Her and AJFM Drofnats for beta'ing this chapter.

Chapter 17: EPOV

Ben and Jacob came to the village the following day. They approached the elders in peace and asked to see me. I was brought to them immediately, and Ben looked so relieved to see me appearing unharmed. I explained to them although I was taken against my will, I have been staying here willingly to help the children. They were then filled in on the plan to bring the children back to the clinic for further observation. We developed a plan to set up a safe haven for Mingi children where families could drop them off instead of abandoning or killing them. The children would be temporarily housed in either the clinic or a local orphanage, where after an agreed upon time the families could either take them back or formally give them up for adoption. While the children were being sheltered, the families could visit and maintain a relationship with their children if they chose.

We all agreed that we would leave the village the next day to head back to the clinic. Ojore decided to set an example for the rest of the tribe. His son had been with me the longest therefore isolated from the tribe the longest. After all this time being alive and with no harm coming to the village or its crops, he believed his son Chiemeka was not cursed and would be letting him come back home with his family. The other four children would travel back to the camp with Ben, Jacob and I.

We were all invited back to Ojore's hut for a coffee ceremony that evening which was being performed by his wife. Ben and Jacob came back to Bohlale's hut with me to freshen up and have a light snack. Once we were done, Ben told me Bella and my entire family was in Ethiopia. He told me she and Carlisle were working at the camp while the rest of the family were staying in a guest house in Addis Ababa.

Stunned didn't even begin to explain how I was feeling. The realization that I would see Bella tomorrow left me speechless. Now I really couldn't wait to get back to the campsite.

I explained to Jacob the important significance of being invited to the coffee ceremony, that it is considered a sign of friendship and respect. I also explained that the ceremony could take a while and was very ornate. Coffee, also called buna, is very important here since it is the birthplace of the first coffee plant dating back to the seventh century.

Ojore's wife, Aziza, conducted the ceremony by first bringing out washed coffee beans, placing them in a pan with a very long handle and then roasting them over an open fire. The beans began to pop sounding like popcorn, as she began to walk around the room wafting the smell of fresh roasted coffee in the air. The coffee beans were then put into a mukecha, which is a coffee grinder resembling a mortar and pestle. The crushed fresh coffee is then put into a handmade clay pot with water and boiled over the open fire. Finally, the coffee is served in very small cups with sugar.

After a very enjoyable evening of coffee, during which I could not stop thinking of reuniting with Bella, we returned to the hut. Sleep wasn't claiming me tonight, my mind raced with all the good things that happened in the last twenty-four hours; the peaceful outcome of my captivity, the excitement of seeing Bella and my entire family tomorrow and the realization that my captivity was really at an end.

Early the next morning, we set out on our journey back to the medical campsite. We were at last able to communicate with the campsite when we were two hours away. Bella and Carlisle were both working and unable to come to the phone so they didn't know we would be arriving any minute now. I felt like a teenage girl practically bouncing in my seat when we were driving into the compound. There, sitting on a bench was the most beautiful sight I had ever seen. It was Bella and she was holding a small child in her arms. She looked so serene, but all of a sudden she seemed to sense my closeness and her head snapped up and turned back and forth as if looking for me.

Our eyes locked as she stood up with the child still clinging to her chest. I could not hear her but she seemed to be yelling something, never taking her eyes from mine. I had Ben stop the van and began to run towards her. She must have been calling my dad when she was yelling because Carlisle ran from the tent and took the child from her. We were both crying happy tears by this time as we embraced and whispered words of love and reassurance.

Carlisle had reached us is by this point, also with watery eyes, and we all hugged awkwardly because I would not let Bella go and a little girl was still holding on to my dad.

We walked back to the tent talking the whole way. Questions were fired back and forth and we were all smiling the biggest silliest grins ever as another volunteer took Zafrina back to the ward.

Ben and Jacob sat next to us in the dining tent for a short debriefing while Carlisle called the family with the happy news.

BPOV:

I was sitting on a bench outside of the triage tent just taking a break and holding Zafrina when all of a sudden I just knew Edward was near. My eyes searched back and forth then suddenly they landed on the thing I missed most in the world; the beautiful green orbs of my Edward. I stood up and yelled for Carlisle, startling little Zafrina. The van carrying Edward came to a stop and he jumped out and was running towards me at the same time Carlisle was taking Zafrina from my arms. The minute we touched I was whole again. We laughed, cried, talked, hugged and kissed all at the same time. Edward wouldn't even let go of me to hug his dad.

Later that night, we drove to meet up with the rest of the family and had a huge celebration. It seemed as if Edward and I couldn't stop touching each other. We called Charlie and Renee to share the good news and to let everyone know we were all safe. We stayed at the guest house that night and talked and embraced all night. At one point, our kisses became heated and we made love slowly and quietly. It was the reconnection we both needed.