Bella's POV:

The morning after Paul slept over I was so reluctant to get up. I was so comfortable just laying on his chest feeling it rise and fall and listening to the steady thrum of his heart.

He left for the fire station to do his volunteer shift after I'd promised I'd be fine for a few hours on my own. I did the breakfast dishes and decided to start on some laundry.

I have to admit laundry was my favorite chore to do. I loved the scent of the laundry detergent as I hung the wet clothes to dry on the line outside. I loved watching the clean clothes swing in the wind. Of course since it was winter a drying rack in the living room would have to do.

I was counting the hours until Paul got off his shift and was able to come over and pick me up. We'd decided at some point yesterday, not really sure where, that I would go over to his place and hang out more today and then we'd hang out with Jarrod and Kim and Emily and Sam tonight. After we hung out Kim, Emily and I were going to have our girl's night like I had promised Kim the day before.

I had been texting Emily and Kim all morning and we agreed we had to try to convince the guys to go bowling or something equally as ridiculous.

As the laundry was in the machine I got bored and decided to take a short walk. Paul was off in about an hour so if I timed it right I could hang the laundry and have time to finish getting ready before he showed up.

I threw on a slightly heavy jacket over my purple shirt and jeans. I grabbed a pair of gloves just in case and headed out the door.

I didn't make it very far when I was suddenly confronted by the one thing I had been dreading since he'd left. There in the small clearing about 200 feet behind my house was Edward Cullen and the rest of the family. I stood there stunned just staring for a few moments before I was knocked backwards by an overactive pixie I liked to call my sister.

"Bella!" She shrieked excitedly "I missed you so much. I couldn't see your future we had to come and make sure you were ok."

"I'm great Alice" I stated truthfully "I missed you too." I gave her a quick hug before she took off back to the rest of them after a glare from my ex boyfriend.

"Bella, I am sorry for the way I left things" He looked sheepishly at me "I didn't mean to hurt you I just wanted to keep you safe and happy."

"You left me! You left me heartbroken, confused and alone!" I was shouting. "And you took almost everyone I loved with you!"

"Bella we didn't know what he said." Carlisle's soft voice said.

"He said you didn't want us here." Rosalie's voice lilted "We just recently found out he lied to us and that combined with Alice not being able to find you we had to come and see if you were safe."

"If you can't forgive us we understand" Esme's voice cracked.

I looked between all seven of them and found that the only ill will I harbored was towards Edward. He lied to them, he lied to me and now he has the nerve to return when I am finally happy?!

"I forgive you all." They all looked relieved especially Edward "Except you Edward. I wanted nothing more than to be your forever and I don't think I can ever forgive what you did, how you left."

"Bella please?" He said softly stepping towards me. He stopped about a foot away from me and continued "I love you. I made a mistake. If you just forgive me we can forget these last months ever happened and I will never leave you again. Will you please love me again? You need me."

His last three words hit me like a punch to the gut and I reared back my fist and punched him as hard as I could. Somewhere in the back of my mind the nasty, argumentative voice from last night was saying he's hard as stone you moron, there's no way you are going to hurt him with your measly human abilities. I knew it was right but I just needed to hit him.

Damn, that freaking hurt. I yelped and jumped back as my fist connected to his stony jaw. His eyes widened in surprise and we both backed up a few steps.

"I don't need you!" I screamed cradling my hand. I was sure it was broken. "I will never need you! I thought I did and I gave you my heart and you proved just how wrong for me you were by leaving me shattered and broken. For making me think that you didn't ever want me, that your family never wanted anything to do with me! I am happy now!" I knew I shouldn't be provoking him with the look of anger filling his eyes but he was making me loathe him.

"You hit me!" He stated incredulously.

I rolled my eyes "Give the man a prize he's just stated the obvious" I said sarcastically and I could just hear a small chuckle in the background and knew Emmett was trying not to burst out laughing.

"You do need me Bella" He said his voice sickeningly soft and his eyes possessed an evil glint I had never seen before. No I had seen it. When he was facing James and trying to save me. "Who else will keep you save from all the evils in the world and most importantly yourself." Menace laced his every word and I found myself unconsciously backing up.

"I have Paul." I stated simply, warily. "He's my soul mate, my one true love and he will never break my heart or treat me the way you did.

It was in the next seconds that I feared for my life for the first time since meeting the Cullens. Edward was lunging towards me and I was terrified I'd never see Paul again. It was also at that point that I heard a howl from the edge of the trees and saw my beautiful silver wolf running towards us and realized that Emmett and Jasper had put themselves between Edward and I.

Paul stopped just beside Emmett growling ferociously. Jasper was just behind them a ice cold hand gently brushing my shoulder pushing me just a little further back.

The rest of the Cullens save for Carlisle were hissing at Edward from behind.

"You're in love with a mutt!?!" Edward shouted "You left me and our destiny for a mutt?"

I knew he was able to read Paul's mind and worried about my love but also knew that if he moved towards me his family would stop him.

"She didn't leave you Edward" Emmett growled "You left her and I think it's time you left again."

"If I don't?" Edward said cockily. God he made me so mad. How dare he think he could waltz back into my life and pretend like nothing had happened.

"I'll let the wolf attack you. And I will help" Emmett continued simply. I had never seen him this serious and it only increased my love and respect for him.

With that Edward turned and took off in a blur. I collapsed and Jasper caught me easily. I could feel the waves of calm radiating off him towards me as I sobbed in his arms instantly surrounded by everyone except Paul who had moved to the woods to phase into human form.

It only took him a moment and I was transferred from Jasper's cold embrace to Paul's hot arms. "Shh princess he's gone" He whispered "He can't hurt you anymore. He will never lay a finger on you."

"We promise Bella we will protect you from him" Jasper said softly and the rest nodded.

I had my family back and I just prayed that they were here to stay this time and that it wouldn't make the pack mad at me that I wanted them to stay.