A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing! It's super appreciated.

EPOV

I looked around the room that my mother had deemed as mine as I set my suitcase on the bed. It was painted a bright, in-your-face orange. I'd only been in the room a few seconds, and I was already getting a headache.

The walls had pictures of surfers and beaches as well as a surfboard propped up in the corner. My mother was not an interior designer by any means and had gone overboard with the whole surfer theme.

Crossing over to the dresser, I pulled open some drawers and began putting my stuff away. I've never been one of those people who could live out of a suitcase. I always have to unpack my clothes.

Once I was done with that, I headed down the stairs and found my mom in the kitchen. She was busy making something in the blender that required lots of alcohol. I was guessing margaritas.

"Oh, Eddie, I'm so glad to have you here!" she said, giving me a hug. "Why don't you go out on the deck. Eleazar's out there preparing the grill. I figured we'd grill out some shrimp for an early dinner. Does that sound good?"

"Sure, Mom," I told her as I made my way out the sliding glass doors.

The backyard was large, but the huge pool took up most of it. There were some palm trees, a grill, some chairs and lounges. It was nice, I guess.

I stood there not having a clue as to what to say to Eleazar. I tried making small talk but quickly gave up when he didn't respond to anything I said.

"So … uh," I began, only to be interrupted by him.

"Look kid, I know Carmen wants us to make nice and all, but I don't really care. I don't do the whole kid thing."

Probably because he was still a kid himself, I thought.

A few minutes later, I excused myself and went inside and up to my room. I grabbed my phone that I'd put on the charger and scrolled through it. I had a few texts from Bella which I was eager to respond to.

I was sitting on the side of the bed responding to Bella when Mom came in.

"I thought you were outside with Eleazar."

"I was, but we don't have a lot to talk about. Besides, I needed to see if my phone was charged."

She crossed her arms over her chest before speaking. "I won't let you hide up here your whole vacation and text that girlfriend of yours. It won't kill you not to talk to her for a few hours. Now put the phone away and join us outside."

I wanted to say something nasty to her, but I didn't. Sighing, I sent Bella a quick text letting her know that I'd talk to her tonight, and I put my phone down on the nightstand.

The whole afternoon and evening was tense, but Mom pretended that everything was fine. It was obvious to me that Eleazar didn't want me there, and I didn't want to be there. We pretty much ignored each other and stayed out of each other's way.

Of course, I was the one that my mother yelled at. She was mad that I wasn't attempting to get along with Eleazar, but I just couldn't. The guy was like five years older than me, but he had an attitude a mile wide.

"He doesn't like me, and I don't like him. You can't force me to like him," I told her.

"Why are you being so difficult? I should never have let you go live with your father."

I looked at her in disbelief. "You didn't let me go live with him. You forced me to. You shipped me off like I was a package."

She looked affronted. "How dare you say such things to me! Did you father tell you that? I just bet he did."

Shoving my chair away from the table, I stood up and headed upstairs, ignoring her calling for me. I slammed the door to the room shut and locked it. I was seething.

With trembling hands, I snatched up my phone and called the one person I knew who could calm me down.

"Edward! How are you?" Bella's sweet voice asked.

"Can I come home now?" I asked her with a sigh.

"Why? What's going on?"

I explained that Mom was upset because I wasn't bonding with her new husband, and how my mother didn't want me to spend my week talking to Bella. We talked for a while more before a knock on the door and my mother's voice interrupted us.

After exchanging I love yous, I hung up the phone and unlocked the door.

"We need to have a talk, Edward," she said, her voice stern. "Let's go. Downstairs."

I shoved my phone into my pocket only to have her tell me to leave it in my room. Sighing, I set my phone on the nightstand and followed her down the stairs. I didn't know where Eleazar was, but I couldn't find it in myself to care at the moment.

I sat down on the couch as Mom sat in a recliner across from me.

"I'm worried about you, Edward. You've never lashed out like this before, and I'm concerned about where this attitude is stemming from. Perhaps living with Carlisle isn't what's best for you. Eleazar and I have discussed it, and I think that you should move here. You can start school when the semester starts in January."

My mouth dropped open as I stared at her. She couldn't possibly be serious?

"No!" I shouted, getting up from the couch.

"Edward—"

"No! I'm not leaving Forks. I've got friends and a girlfriend. Dad and I are getting along, and Esme's terrific. I'm not leaving all of that so that I can start over again. No thanks."

"See? This is what I'm talking about! Before you went to live with Carlisle, you would have never acted like this. I think those friends and that girlfriend of yours are bad influence. You'll be much better off here."

I stood there staring at her in disbelief. She wasn't even listening to a word I'd said.

"You can't make me move," I told her. "I'm seventeen. You try and force me to move, and I'll fight it. You know, maybe it would be best if I just went back to Forks tomorrow. I'm sure Dad would be more than willing to get my ticket changed for me."

"Edward—"

"No, Mom. Just no. I'm tired, and I'm going to bed. I don't want to cut my vacation time with you short, but I will. Can't we just enjoy the time that we have together?"

She scowled before nodding and agreeing.

Telling her goodnight, I headed back upstairs and climbed into bed. I always had a hard time falling asleep in a new place, and this was no different. I tossed and turned before finally giving up.

I reached over to grab my phone and check the time, but I didn't feel it. Turning the lamp on, I didn't see my phone. Getting out of bed, I searched high and low for the damn thing but couldn't find it.

I knew that I had left it on the bedside table because Mom had made me. The only answer was that someone had taken it. And seeing as how I'd been talking to Mom, the only other person who could've taken it was Eleazar. Although, I couldn't figure out for the life of me, why he'd want my phone.

I stopped outside of Mom and Eleazar's room and knocked on the door. I didn't care that it was late, I wanted my freaking phone.

"What Edward?" Mom asked in a tired voice.

"Where's my phone?" I asked through the door. "I know that Eleazar took it, and I want it back!"

"I told Eleazar to take it from your room," she said, coming to the door and cracking it open. "I don't want you to spend the rest of your time here on the phone. This way you won't be able to."

I was seething. She had no right to take my personal property, and I told her so.

"Dad bought that phone for me. If you want me to stay for the rest of the week, then you need to give it back. If not, I'll use your house phone and have Dad change my ticket," I threatened.

"Go to bed, Edward," she said, shutting the door and locking it.

I couldn't believe her. What had happened to my mother? She claimed that I was the one who was acting out of character, but she was the one whose whole attitude had changed. She'd never been like that before.

Walking down the hall, I spotted a cordless phone in a charger on a table in the hallway. Grabbing it, I headed back to the my room and quickly called Carlisle.

"Hello?"

"Dad, it's Edward."

"What's wrong?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

I explained how awful everything was and I'd only been there one day. I told him that Mom had stolen my phone and that I wanted to come home.

"Let me talk to Carmen, and if you still want to come home, I'll change your ticket."

I hung up after he promised to call me back. I sat on the bed and waited impatiently for some sort of news.

About twenty minutes later, my mother barged into my room and tossed me my phone. I don't know what Carlisle had said to her, but it had obviously angered her.

"There was no need to call Carlisle," she snarled.

"You stole my phone! Besides, I want to go home. Coming here was a bad idea."

She looked as if I'd slapped her.

"But you just got here!"

"Yeah, and in the time I've been here we've argued and you've stolen my phone. Why would I want to stay?" I asked her.

She let out a sigh, bidding me a goodnight and closing my door.

Grumbling, I checked my phone before crawling back into bed. My sleep was restless and when I woke up the next day, I was exhausted.

Thankfully, the rest of the week had gone by pretty quickly and there had been no more arguments. Mom had even apologized, but I wasn't too sure she meant it. She didn't mention me moving in with her again, but she did drop little hints here and there. I ignored them, not wanting to fight with her.

"Maybe you can come down for the summer?" she suggested as we drove to the airport.

"Maybe," I said, although there was no way I was spending the whole summer with her.

"I'm sorry the week started off so badly. I just missed you so much, and it hit me all at once."

I nodded not saying anything.

I was pretty quiet as we waited for my plane to start boarding. Once they announced that we were allowed to board, I gave Mom a hug and told her I'd call her once I got into Seattle.

She looked so sad as I walked away, but I was still a bit angry with her. It certainly hadn't been a great vacation but it was over, and I'd be seeing my girl in about six hours or so.

The flight was full of turbulence and the chatter of an elderly woman who was sitting next to me. I was ecstatic when the flight finally landed.

I grabbed my bag and walked off the plane, a smile lighting up my face when I saw Bella and Esme. I ran toward them, not caring if people were staring at me. The second I was within arms reach of Bella, I dropped my bag and wrapped her up in a huge hug. God, I'd missed her.

After kissing my girl, I let go of her and gave Esme a huge hug. Esme told me that Carlisle had gotten called into work, but that he'd be home later in the evening. I was fine with that.

As much as I wanted to spend time with my girl, I was exhausted and just wanted to head home. Bella and I agreed to get together in the morning and exchange gifts. I was excited to give her my gift, yet I was extremely nervous as well. I'd never boughten jewelry for a girl before, so I'd asked Esme for help and she'd been more than willing.

Once home, I dropped my stuff on my bed and told Esme I was going to nap until Carlisle got home.

I must have passed out the second I hit my bed because a few hours later Esme was waking me up. I normally never napped, and I groggily made my way downstairs.

Carlisle gave me a hug and then we sat down to exchange gifts.

I'd had no idea what to get Carlisle or Esme, so I'd asked the Swan family for help. Charlie had suggested that I get Carlisle some fishing gear, since they had plans to go ice fishing. So, I'd gotten Carlisle a bait and tackle box with a bunch of stuff in it. As for Esme, I'd settled on a book that she'd seen on some talk show and a gift certificate to a floral shop.

Apparently, I hadn't done too shabby in the gift department because they had both thanked me for their gifts and seemed to like them.

Carlisle handed me a rather large box, and I eagerly tore into the paper.

"Holy crap!" I cried out when I saw what it was. It was the latest box set of Doctor Who. I about died. It was fan-freaking-tastic.

"This is awesome! Thanks so much!" I told them.

After a dinner of pizza, Carlisle asked me to talk with him in his study. I followed him into the room, thinking I might be in trouble as he shut the door behind him.

"Relax, son. You're not in trouble," he said as he sat down in the chair behind his desk.

I sat down across from him and waited for him to start talking.

"How was the rest of your vacation?" he asked, resting his elbows on the desk.

I shrugged. "It was okay. Mom apologized, and we got along okay after that. Although, she kept dropping hints about me moving in with her. I told her that I wasn't leaving Forks. I like it here."

We talked for a while longer before calling it a night. As I lay in bed, I was so glad to be home.

It had been an emotional day. It had started off fantastically. Bella and I had exchanged gifts, both of us loving the gifts that we'd gotten. We'd made out and gotten a little carried away, and then Charlie had called. When he'd told Bella to get home right away, all kinds of worst case scenarios had gone through my head. I'd thought perhaps someone had died.

While no one had died, a horrible event had occurred.

I wasn't as close to Rose as I was to Emmett and Jasper, but I still liked her and knew she'd do anything for her family. So, to sit there and hear Charlie tell us that she'd been brutally attacked was horrifying even though he'd assured us that she was going to be okay.

Bella had wanted to go to the hospital to see her, and I was more than willing to drive us there. She was barely holding it together which was completely understandable.

We spent a few hours at the hospital, visiting with Rose and Emmett before leaving. I had to get back home, but I told Bella that she could stay if she wanted. I could tell she was tempted until Rose told her that she wanted to be alone for a while.

The ride home was quiet, and she confessed her worries to me. I tried to assure that the guys would be caught. Rose had done a hell of a job scratching one of them up, so the cops had been able to get DNA scrapings.

After dropping Bella off, I headed home and let Carlisle and Esme know what Rose's injuries were and that she would be okay, physically anyways.

"I know a good therapist if she should need someone to talk to. I'll let Charlie know," Carlisle said.

I nodded then bid them a goodnight. I was tired, but I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep. All I could think was what if that was Bella. What if Bella had been the walking down that street and had gotten attacked?

What if, what if, what if. The what ifs would get to you if you let them.

Sighing, I rolled over in my bed and stared at the wall before grabbing my phone. I sent Bella a quick text telling her I loved her, just needing her to know. A few seconds later, I got an I love you back, and I felt myself settle down.

I woke up the next morning, feeling slightly rested. All night, I'd had dreams that Bella had been hurt, and I couldn't get to her.

Rubbing my eyes, I hopped in the shower then headed downstairs for breakfast.

Esme had left me a note letting me know that she and Carlisle were at work and for me to let them know if I went anywhere.

I didn't have any plans for the day, and I was unsure if Bella wanted to hang out. Thankfully, she did. She called me a little after eleven and told me that Rose and Emmett were back home and both were craving some sort of normalcy. I agreed to come over and less than twenty minutes later, I was parking in the Swan's driveway.

Renee greeted me and told me everyone was hanging out in Emmett and Jasper's room. I headed up the stairs and found everyone gathered on the beds and floor of their room. The TV was on and a movie was playing.

"Hey, guys," I said quietly as I entered the room.

Everyone looked up as I walked in, and Bella got up off the floor to give me a hug.

I hugged her back, then turned to face Rose.

"How are you feeling?"

She shrugged. "Angry, pissed off, scared. I'm just glad to be home. I feel safe here," she told me, leaning against Emmett who had an arm wrapped around her.

We spent the day watching movies and just relaxing. It seemed that it was exactly what Rose and Emmett needed. They seemed less tense by the time Renee called us all down for dinner.

As we made our way down the stairs, I tried to give Bella an excuse for why I couldn't stay.

"No way, buster. You're going to suffer along with the rest of us," she said, poking me in the stomach.

"Fine," I said with a sigh.

We all sat down around the Swan's kitchen table and watched as Renee dished up some sort of gumbo from a huge pot.

A huge bowl full of whatever it was, was sat in front of me, and I slowly picked up my spoon. It smelled pretty good, if not a bit spicy. A glance around the table showed everyone watching me as I took the first bite.

It was surprisingly good. A bit too spicy, but other than that it wasn't bad.

"This is good," I told Renee causing her to laugh.

"There's no need to sound so surprised. My cooking is always good," she said, causing Emmett to almost choke on the soda he was drinking. "Right?"

I grinned as they all nodded in agreement.

After dinner, I said goodbye to the Swans and armed with a Tupperware full of gumbo, I headed out the door.

I was unlocking my car when Rose came out.

"Edward?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you thank your dad for me? The therapist he recommended is really nice. I talked to her earlier this morning. Emmett, too."

I gave her a smile. "Sure, I'll let him know."

Two days later, on New Years Eve, Esme and Carlisle let me know that they invited Bella and her family to celebrate with us. I was cool with that. I wanted nothing more than to kiss my girl at midnight.

Esme woke me up super early and quickly put Carlisle and I to work, cleaning the house. Not that the house was that messy, but she was in rare form. I don't think she'd been this crazy when we'd had Bella's family over for Thanksgiving.

"Why is Esme acting so crazy?" I asked Carlisle as we took the garbage out.

He dragged the garbage can to the end of the drive before turning to face me.

"We're getting married this afternoon," he calmly told me.

"Seriously?" I asked, a bit shocked at how calm he was.

"Yep. That's cool with you, right?" he asked, and I snickered at him using the word cool.

"Of course. Is that why you guys invited the Swans over?"

Carlisle nodded. "Yeah. John, Reverend Weber, is coming over around three. We're just going to have a short ceremony in the living room once everyone gets here."

"I assume that I have to dress up?"

"If I do, then you do," he told me with a grin.

Reverend Weber showed up at three on the dot, and a little before four, the Swans showed up. Apparently, Esme had told them all to dress up, and I was glad to see I wasn't the only one stuck wearing a tie.

"Man," Emmett grumbled. "Why did I have to dress up?"

"Because you're about to be witness to a wedding," Esme said from behind him, her response causing gasps and sounds of congratulations.

She was dressed in a pretty pale pink dress and had some flowers in her hand. She looked real pretty, and I told her so, blushing when she thanked me and kissed my cheek.

Ten minutes later, we were all congregated in the living room watching as Reverend Weber officiated the ceremony. It only took a handful of minutes before Carlisle and Esme were married.

I'd always thought that weddings were long and boring but not this one. This one was quick and easy. No mess, no fuss, and if I ever got married, I wanted a quick wedding like this one.

Apparently, Renee and Charlie had known ahead of time about the wedding because they presented Carlisle and Esme with a nice cake.

It was a great way to spend New Year's Eve and later that evening, we all sat around watching the TV as the countdown to the new year began.

As the countdown began, I pulled Bella closer to me, ready for the ball to drop and the new year to begin.

"3...2...1! Happy New Year!" we all hollered, and I leaned down to plant a kiss on Bella.

All around us, couples were kissing and celebrating the ringing in of the new year, and I knew, without a doubt, that it was going to be a great year.

...

a/n: Despite this chapter being a bit short, a lot happened. We got to see Edward's time with his mother, see a wedding, and celebrate the new year. Not too shabby.