I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT!

CHAPTER 3
We all pulled into my parents driveway, every light in the house was on and I knew they were all up waiting for us to get there. I sat in the car for a few minutes, trying to collect my thoughts.

The front door opened and my sisters came running out followed by my parents. It was then that I realized just how badly I'd missed everyone. I shut the car off and opened my door quietly praying that Matt would stay asleep. I got out and my sisters grabbed me hugging me tightly. "We've missed you so much," Alice cried.

"I've missed you to," I said kissing her on the head.

"I can't believe you are really here," Alice said looking at me.

"I'm really here," I laughed.

Rose hugged me tightly and I could feel her trembling. "I'm glad you finally came back."

I pulled back and looked at her. "Me to. I've actually even missed you."

"Yah me to, a little." She laughed.

Mom grabbed me next. "I've been so worried, you look exhausted."

"I am, that last little bit of the trip was rough, but I'm glad to be here."

"How was the trip?" Dad asked.

"It was long, Matt's been asleep for the last couple hours."

"Are you going to get him out of the car or just let him sleep there all night?" Alice asked.

"The car," I said keep a straight face.

"You're joking right?" She asked.

"He's not. When we got there we found Matt asleep in the front yard, no food or water." Jasper said.

"Oh shut up!" Alice giggled elbowing him.

I opened up the car door and gently lifted Matt out. "Wow, he looks so much like her. Look how big he is!" Rose gasped.

"He is getting big," I agreed rubbing his back.

"Edward, his room isn't all the way finished yet. We can get him a blanket, but we wanted him to pick out his bedding," Dad said.

"That's fine, he'll probably be more comfortable sleeping with me for awhile."

"I figured as much," Dad said patting his back.

I said goodnight to everyone and followed mom up the stairs to my old room. "Nothing has changed," I commented.

"No, not really," Mom said opening the door to my old room, it was cleaner than when I left it. I laid Matt down in the bed and covered him up.

I turned to look at mom. The years had been good to her, she still had her beautiful smile and didn't look any older than she did when I was younger. "Thank you for everything."

"Edward, we don't mind, we're just glad you're back. Now come look at his room and tell me what you think."

I followed her across the hall and into what used to be Emmett's room. "You scrubbed his room right?" I asked.

"Yes why?" She asked.

"Emmett and Rose spent a lot of time in here," I said cringing at the thought of what went on in here.

"Yes, we did." She laughed opening the door.

I gasped when I walked in. There were tons of pictures hanging on one of the wall and they were all of Lauren, some with her and Matt and some back from highschool. "Do you think it's too much?" Mom asked.

"No," I said taking a deep breath. "I made a promise to her that he wouldn't forget her."

"It's hard for you though isn't it?" She asked.

"Very," I sighed.

"Edward, she was your first love. You were 16 when you took her to that dance."

"I thought I would have her forever."

"In life there are no guarentees Edward, you live for the day and enjoy every moment you get." She wrapped her arms around my waist. "You still have her though, look at Matt, he looks just like her."

"It's been a year mom," I said sadly.

"And it's going to hurt and you are going to miss her, but you can't quit living."

I hugged mom tightly. I might have been 27 years old, but I still needed her.

I took a hot shower, it helped relax my muscles. The water began to cool so I got out and got ready for bed. I was asleep the minute my head hit the pillow.

I awoke to the sound of rain hitting the window. The clock read 9:30am and Matt was still sound asleep next to me. "Matt buddy, wake up," I said gently.

"No daddy, I'm tired," He whined burying his face in my pillow.

"Come on it's time to get up."

His eyes fluttered open. "Morning," He said sitting up and wiping the sleep out of his eyes. "I'm hungry."

I chuckled at my son. "Come on, lets see if grandma made breakfast."

I threw on a pair of jeans and t-shirt, then picked him up putting him on my shoulders. "Daddy," He laughed.

"What?" I asked.

"I need to pee."

"Oh okay," I put him down and showed him where the bathroom was and he ran in shutting the door.

Once he was done we headed down into the kitchen. "Who all is here?" He asked.

"I'm not sure buddy, it might be everyone or it might just be grandma and grandpa," I said picking him up and putting him back on my shoulders.

"Morning," I said walking into the kitchen.

"Morning you two," Dad said smiling up at Matt.

I set him down on the floor and gently nudged his shoulder to move forward. "Emmett, said you like waffles, so I thought I would make you some," Mom said patting his shoulder. He moved closer to me gripping my legs.

"Matt, why don't you go sit down and I will make you a plate of food," I said, but he made no effort to move. I glanced up at mom slowly shaking my head.

"Hey Matt," Dad said. "Do you still like to go fishing?"

"Yah," He said slowly walking over to the table.

"How about after breakfast you and I go down to the stream behind the house and see if we can catch anything."

"Can dad go?" He asked.

"Not this time, I need to start working on unloading the truck," I told him. "But you go with grandpa."

I set our plates down and we all sat around eating. Mom and dad each tried to talk to Matt, but he wasn't talking much, just short answers. I felt helpless. I thought I had done the right thing by quitting my job and staying home with him after Lauren passed to help him deal with losing her, but I was starting to feel like I'd made a bad choice and in the end, I'd failed him.

"Dad, can I have more juice?" He asked.

"Sure buddy," I said taking his glass and getting it for him. I poured him more juice and sat back down.

"Are the waffles good Matt?" Mom asked.

"Yes," He whispered.

Matt slid his plate away from him and drank the rest of his juice. "Well buddy, you ready to go fishing?" Dad asked.

Matt looked up at me. "Go and have fun, I'm not going anywhere."

"Do you promise?" He asked.

"Matt, I promise buddy."

As soon as they were out of view, I put my face in my hands. "Edward," Mom said sitting down next to me and putting her hand on my back. "Give him time Edward, he was really close to Lauren and she'd been sick most of his whole life. He helped you take care of her and right before she got really sick, she spent time volunteering at his preschool and devoting her life to being a mom. She knew even at her young age how precious life was. And then you add a move halfway across the country, he has every right to hang on to you like he is."

"But he acts like he doesn't know you guys."

"He does Edward, he does know us, but he's in our enviornment now and that has to be weird for him."

"How am I going to take him to school when he wont even leave my side for a second. Every time I leave the room he panics thinking I'm not coming back."

"Give him a few days and then slowly start leaving him with us for a short time here and there. Yes he will be scared and yes he will probably cry, but we will reassure him that everything will be okay and that you will come back. It wont be easy, but together we can do this."

I shook my head. "I thought what I did was right. After her funeral, I pulled him out of preschool and took over working with him. I held him when he would sit on the bed crying for her. If I'd let his teachers continue to work with him, maybe he wouldn't have gotten this bad."

"Stop it right this minute!" Mom snapped. "Everything you and Lauren did for him was what was best for him. He needed you Edward and you were there for him! Stop feeling sorry for yourself!"

I stared at mom, she never raised her voice to us like that. "You know, it's not Matt I'm worried about, it's you. You look horrible. When was the last time you actually slept?"

"I miss her!" I snapped. "I had no clue how to raise him, I've had to hold it together from the time I put her in the grave!" I got up and walked over to the sink putting our plates in the sink. "It's not fair!" I yelled.

"No Edward, it's not fair, you didn't marry her and think in a few short years you'd have to bury her."

"No," I whispered. "I didn't think I'd be calling hospice for help or being a single parent."

Mom wrapped her arms around me. "It's going to be okay Edward, both of you will be. I promise you that."

AN- I HOPE YOU LIKED THIS CHAPTER. THE NEXT ONE WILL BE MATT FISHING WITH CARLISLE. REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!