A/N: Shorty chapters seem to be my MO this week. Eh! Let's get these kids reunited with the family.

It was dawn when Edward rose again. He blinked several times, revelling for a few more precious seconds in the warmth from the furs, blankets, and his wife's body pressed against his.

He took the usual few moments of quiet to stare at her, to watch as she slept. Today more than ever, the feeling of peace and contentment that rose in him was surreal. Today he woke to hearth and home. It was easy to imagine that soon, this would be his daily life. He would rise from his own bed, in his own home, to work his own land. Bella would be there by his side when he woke and in his arms as he slept.

It was a good daydream.

Reluctantly, he rolled away from her and rose to his feet. He stretched, looking out the cabin's window to survey what he could of the land and sky. The clouds remained, but they weren't nearly as threatening as they had been the day before. It would be a chilly day, but the ride would be easy enough.

He went about his business, straightening and packing up what little they'd brought with them. He surveyed the cabin for anything that might be of use. He would send James back with supplies to replace whatever he took.

It was only a few minutes later, as he stood over the fire, that he heard a rustle behind him, and Bella's soft yawn. "What are you doing?" she asked, her voice scratchy with sleep.

A thrill went down his spine. With her voice pitched low like that, what he wanted most to do was turn and push her flat on her back, take her again to keep her warm from the early morning chill. It was best he was turned away. His will had proved to be less than solid when it came to his pretty wife.

"I found some beans when I woke earlier, and I set them to cook. It won't be a particularly flavorful meal, but it'll be enough to get us through the day until we find the others." He ladled some of the beans in the pot he had over the fire into the tin cup from his own supplies and steeled himself as he turned around.

Bella smiled. It was a shy smile, and the sight of her sent warmth like liquid through his chest. She was so young and sweet that she stoked an urge in him to gather her close and tuck her under his arm to protect her from whatever the world might throw at them next. At the same time, a fire sparked low in the pit of his belly. Her hair fell wild, mussed from his fingers and the time she'd spent on her back beneath him. She was still nude under the blanket she held clasped at her chest. It would take nothing at all to tug the blanket out of her hands and…

Edward shook the thought away, aware that he was staring. He settled next to her on the furs and pressed the tin cup into her grasp. With his hands free, he pushed her hair back out of her eyes, just looking on her. For long moments they stared at each other with soft smiles, his fingers tracing her hairline in soft strokes.

Bella's stomach chose that moment to rumble, and they both laughed, coming out of their shared daze. "Hush," she said, blushing. "I haven't eaten since yesterday morning."

"Ah, Bella." He drew his thumbs over her lips. "I'm not doing a very good job of taking care of you."

She kissed him. It was a quick peck to the underside of his jaw. "I was cold, and you warmed me," she said, still so close to him her breath was hot on his skin. Her blush deepened, but her words were steady. "I wasn't hungry for food."

"Wanton," he accused before he sought her lips with his. He was careful to keep the kiss relatively chaste. He didn't let his hands wander more than to cup the side of her face, letting his thumb brush her cheek. It was difficult not to take more when he knew it was so freely offered. It was especially difficult when she set her cup down so she could draw his fingers along his bearded chin.

After a moment, he pulled back and brushed the tip of her nose with his. "It's time for us to return to the world." He sighed and scooted back from her. "Get dressed. I'm sure the family is beside themselves with worry by now. I'll have Norma ready to ride in ten minutes or less."

Some minutes later, the fire had been snuffed, and, as promised, the horse was ready to go. Bella emerged from the cabin dressed with her hair tamed into plaits, tucked up under her cap. She stepped to his side and handed him the tin cup of beans. It had been refilled now with the remainder of the beans he'd made. "You didn't eat yesterday either."

A lascivious tease lingered on the tip of his tongue, and Edward brought the cup to his lips to hide it. Besides the fact whispering filthy things into his wife's ear would do nothing to quell his desire for her, he also had to remind himself that Bella had been innocent until he'd taken her the night before. He had seen the hint of uncertainty that had flitted across her features when he'd called her a wanton witch the night before. He would have to be more careful.

Still, it was difficult to keep a civil tongue. In his travels, Edward had known what it was to starve, and yet the taste of her skin on his lips, her sex under her tongue was more satisfying than any meal. Remembering his mouth on her, Edward shivered. He swallowed a groan and kissed her in thanks before he brought the cup up to eat.

Minutes later they were on their way. Edward pushed the horse to a quick gait. He navigated easily through the forest. It was more peaceful than it should have been. Bella was a warm weight pressed against his back. Her arm was wrapped around his waist, and her head rested on his shoulder. As long as she was safe, he was happy.

After a time, they stopped to stretch and let Norma drink. "Where are we going to meet the trail again? How far do you expect they got before the storm?" Bella asked.

"We're meeting up with the trail around where we last camped." He fixed her with a look. "Do you think they didn't notice you were missing? They'd have stopped immediately. It's likely they're still looking for you."

Bella ducked her head, abashed. "I've delayed our whole party."

"That you have, my stubborn one." He looped his arm around her waist and tugged her close. "We'll be fine. The important thing is you're safe."

They remounted and were off again a minute later.

Half an hour into that second leg of their journey, Bella's startled cry pulled Edward out of his pondering. He slowed Norma to a trot and looked around to see what might have frightened her. "What? What's-"

He cut off when he saw what she must have seen. Black smoke curled up, rising from the furthest rise from where they were. The smoke was right around where Edward had last seen the family. Edward dug his heels into the horse's sides, pushing her to a gallop.

It took an agonizing half an hour to get to the trail. Edward pulled the horse to a stop the at the first still wagon he saw. "What's happened? " He asked, nodding his head at the smoke still thick in the air.

One of the little ones wiggled away from her mother's arms and stood looking up at Edward and Bella. "There was a great fire. There was lightning and thunder and the lightning hit all over. It scared me something awful." She grabbed her toddler brother's hand. "Mommy made me take Benny and hide under the wagon, but some wagon burned."

The mother hushed the child and looked up at Edward. "The lightning storm struck, but the rain didn't come with it. One of the wagons up ahead caught fire, and it got out of control with the wind. Many wagons burned and a lot of livestock ran off. Some are injured. My husband went ahead on the trail to offer help."

"Do you know anything about Dr. Cullen's family?" Bella asked. Anxiety made her voice thin.

The woman shook his head. "I know nothing of his family. Dr. Cullen is helping the wounded. That's all I know. The news doesn't travel back this way very quickly."

Edward looked over his shoulder at Bella. "If I asked you to stay here, would you?"

Her only response was to tighten her arms around his waist. He sighed. "Of course not." He nodded at the little family. "Thank you. Stay safe."

They rode on. On horseback, they wove through the scattered wagons with relative ease. Many families were back on the trail as if this was a normal day, and those wagons rolled by at the usual pace. It seemed a surreal thing when he knew for other families, possibly his own, this day brought only disaster.

The extent of the damage became apparent quickly. It was small things at first. Here and there, a few wagons showed signs of burning. Some canvas covers sported holes where fire had hit. Along the ground, Edward could see patches of burnt grass and charred shrubs.

Edward's stomach began to churn as they got closer and he began to recognize the families stalled on the trail. These were the families they circled the wagons with at night. They were the ones who had come to the wedding, who gathered to dance at the end of a long day's travel.

As they passed, some called their names with relief. Edward got the impression it was widely known he and Bella had been separated from their family. It warmed Edward slightly. In the wake of disaster, looking out for one another was what people did best. Edward waved in acknowledgment but didn't stop.

They finally found the Cullens and the Hales at the epicenter of the mess. Bella hopped down as soon as Edward was going slow enough, leaving him to find a place to tie off the horse. He watched Bella run toward the smoldering mess that used to be the Hale's wagon.

Esme and Alice appeared first, each of them calling Bella's name as they ran. The three women crashed together in a tangle of limbs and tears.

The little boys, Peter and Henry, were not far behind. As the three fell to the ground, they wormed their way in between everyone to get their hugs in. When they had properly greeted Bella, they made a beeline for Edward and wrapped themselves around his legs. Edward ruffled their hair, touched by the fact they cared.

Esme pulled back, cupping Bella's face in her hands and looking her over. "Are you all right? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine. Just fine."

"You foolish, foolish girl. You scared us all half to death," Esme said, wagging a finger in Bella's face. "I have half a mind to take you over my knee, married woman or not."

"Don't think I haven't thought about it," Edward said as he knelt beside Bella.

Esme turned to him and to Edward's surprise, she wrapped her arms around him, kissing his cheek. "It's good to see you safe, dear boy."

"You weren't so lucky," he said. All four of them were streaked with soot. "Where is everyone else?"

"Oh, mercy, it was awful," Alice said. "The lightning struck the wagon ahead of us, but ours caught so quick after the fire started. And Alistair... Alistair..."

"Oh, no. Oh, no," Bella said. "Don't tell me..."

"Papa burned his leg," Peter said.

"It's a bad burn," Esme said, her voice quiet. "Vera is with him. Carlisle did what he could, of course, but there was only so much. He had to move on and help the others. The boys went him." She looked to Edward. "Your men are salvaging what they can from the wagon. They just left to get more water from the river."

"And Rosalie?" Bella asked.

"Resting in the other wagon," Alice said. "The stubborn mule nearly ran herself ragged trying to care for her father and help with the wreckage. The last thing we need is for her pains to start when Papa has his hands full as it is."

"How bad was the damage to the cargo of the wagon?" Edward asked Esme.

The look on her face said it all, and Edward felt momentarily light-headed. Half their food and supplies had been in that wagon.

"Papa needs us now," Peter said. "Carlisle said we need to be strong for him."

The little boys hustled everyone to their feet and back to their father's side.

Edward's stomach sank again when he saw the extent of Alistair's wounds. He lay on the ground with his head pillowed on his wife's lap. He was covered by several thick winter coats except for one leg. His pants had been torn up above his knee, and his exposed leg was bandaged with strips of cloth that looked as though they had been torn from a dress. The strips overlapped from his knee to his toes. They were bloody in places and sodden in others. That wasn't good. It meant his wounds were open.

Vera looked up, offering them a tired smile. "Bella, Edward. It's good to see you safe."

Esme sank down next to Alistair and brought a canteen to his lips. "There you go. How are you feeling, Alistair?"

Alistair only grunted, so Vera answered for him. "He feels warm." She put a palm to his cheek. Her eyes were bloodshot and drawn with worry.

"Of course I feel warm," the man snapped through gritted teeth. "It's the middle of summer. and you've got me lying out here under the sun."

Esme and Vera exchanged glances. Alice's breath caught, but Bella looked confused. Edward tucked her tight against him, so he could whisper in her ear.

"A fever is a bad sign. The worse the fever, the further he is from recovering. They may have to amputate the limb." Fevers after wounds meant death was not far off, he didn't add.

Bella gripped him tightly, pressing the back of her free hand to her mouth.

"Masen."

Edward swung around to see James and the others approaching. Like the rest of the family, they were covered in soot.

"You all right?" James asked grudgingly. He looked to Bella. "I see you found your little trouble-maker. You two weather the storm?"'

"We're fine," Edward said. "We got to shelter."

"Good. Then you're fit to work. We can't afford to waste time. Get on over here and get your hands dirty."

Edward nodded. He turned to his wife and took the time to kiss her soundly, more grateful than he could ever say that Bella was whole. He was worried. The loss of supplies could be dire, but he was determined now more than ever that he would take care of her no matter what.

A/N: Much thanks and love to jessypt and jfka06. I typed most of this on my phone! Idk why you needed to know that, but there it is. Merry weekend, everyone!