Moonlight in Forks

Disclaimer: all characters and copyright belong to SM.

Each Other's Home

"You look nice." Charlie said, his voice gruff with emotion. "Is that new?"

"Thanks. Yes, it was a gift from Alice." Bella admitted reluctantly. "I'm glad you like it."

"Are you okay, Bells? You look very pale." Charlie worried.

"I'm just nervous, Dad. Don't worry about me." Bella tried to play it cool, but with so much on her mind, the impending graduation ceremony was just another ordeal to get through. "We should go."

"Okay." Charlie still didn't look convinced, but he knew his daughter, knew how stubborn she could be. She wouldn't admit to how she was really feeling unless he really pushed her into opening up. And now wasn't the best time, today of all days. "Let's go."

Bella was lost in her own little world as she sat next to Charlie in the police cruiser. He glanced at her often, wondering what thoughts were going through her head. They couldn't be pleasant ones, she looked strained, her brows drawn down into a frown. Maybe it had something to do with Cullen. The tension between them was obvious. He had never heard her snap at the boy before. Charlie could only hope that this was the beginning of the end. That Bella had finally seen the light and was tiring of Cullen's controlling nature.

To Charlie's annoyance, he saw Edward waiting for them in the school parking lot when they arrived. Was there no place they could escape him? He parked the cruiser near the entrance to the school and switched off the engine. The resounding silence was deafening as he watched his daughter come back to life.

"Can't that boy take a hint? He's waiting for you over by the main doors." Charlie grumbled.

The strain on Bella's face intensified. "I didn't ask him to."

"Want me to have a word with him?" Charlie offered.

Bella looked at him, trying to raise a smile. "Maybe if we just ignore him, he'll go away."

Charlie gazed at her astutely. "Is everything alright between the two of you?"

Bella shook her head. There was no use denying the obvious-well, the obvious to most people-Edward remained oblivious. "Not really."

"Does that mean that you…?" Charlie hardly dared to finish the question.

"Soon, Dad. Soon." Bella sighed heavily, pushing on the passenger door of the cruiser and climbing out. "Let's just get today over and done with first."

Edward immediately came over, hardly giving Bella time to think straight. His amber eyes appraising the outfit Alice had given her. "You look beautiful." He murmured. "Blue suits you so well."

He looked like he wanted to say more, but Charlie, in an obvious maneuver that was hardly subtle, shrugged in between them and put his arm around Bella's shoulders. Bella had never loved her father more than she did in that moment.

"Are you excited?" Charlie asked, completely ignoring Edward as if he didn't exist.

"Not really."

"Bella, this isn't an endurance test. It's a big deal. You only graduate once. It the real world for you now. College. Living on your own…. You're not my little girl anymore." He choked up at the end.

"Aww…Dad." Bella leaned into him. "Please don't get all weepy on me."

"Who's weepy?" Charlie growled. "Now, why aren't you excited?"

"I don't know. I guess it hasn't hit yet or something." Bella often wished she could confide in Charlie, wishing she could tell him the truth about what was really going on in her life. Keeping all these secrets was exhausting.

Charlie squeezed her shoulders. Edward had been completely frozen out. Neither he nor Bella acknowledged him at all. They walked toward the gym, Edward trailing behind them, looking a little lost.

Bella didn't remember much after that. It all went by so quickly. She felt like she had hit the fast forward button. Were they supposed to march quite that fast toward the temporary stage? Eric, the valedictorian, was speed talking in his nervousness, the words and phrases running together so they didn't make sense. The principal started calling names, one after the other without a long enough pause between: the front row in the gymnasium was rushing to catch up. Poor Ms. Cope, the school secretary, was all thumbs as she struggled to give the principal the right diploma to the right student.

Bella remained in a daze the whole time, barely aware of the chaos going on around her. Then suddenly she heard her name being called. She rose stiffly from her chair, waiting for the line in front of her to move. Bella was suddenly conscious of cheering in the back of the gym. She looked around to see Jacob pulling Charlie to his feet, both of them hooting encouragement. She could just make out the top of Billy's head beside Jacob's elbow.

For the first time that day a genuine smile crossed Bella's face at the sight of them, it extended all the way to her eyes, making them shine. Jacob hadn't been sure he would be able to make the ceremony, even though he wanted to. Sam was still pushing them all so hard. But here he was, and Billy too, cheering and whooping, making so much noise that everyone turned to stare at them.

Bella lifted her good hand, waving at them frantically, bouncing up and down on her toes, hoping that they could see her pleased reaction at their support.

Finally, the principal finished with the list of names, and then continued to hand out diplomas with a sheepish grin as the students filed past.

"Congratulations, Miss Swan." He mumbled to Bella, pressing the diploma in her hand.

"Thanks."

And that was it.

Bella had officially graduated.

As Bella started to make her way over to Jacob, Charlie and Billy, she was suddenly accosted by Edward.

"Congratulations." He whispered in her ear, his arms winding around her waist. His voice was subdued, he was still smarting over what had happened earlier, when Bella had rebuffed him. He wanted to make a show in front of Charlie that they were still very much together, after reading the police chief's thoughts to the contrary.

"Um…. thanks."

"You still don't look happy, Bella." Edward noted. "Is it your nerves? Or is your hand hurting? I can take you home."

Of course, he wanted to take her home. He wanted to get her away from Jacob. He was kissing the top of her head now, his arms tightening around her waist, as if staking his claim, making sure that Jacob saw everything.

"You can let me go now." Bella's voice was like steel.

Edward knew not to push his luck by her sharp tone. He let his arms drop to his sides, peering down at her anxiously. "Bella, tell me what's wrong?"

"You should go and speak to Alice. She'll tell you."

"Is that why she has been translating the Battle Hymn of the Republic into Arabic for the last few hours in her head? She's been trying to keep me out." Edward's eyes flashed down to Bella's face, narrowing in suspicion.

"Don't you get tired of rummaging through people's heads?" Bella demanded, stepping away from him. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jacob and the others moving toward her. She didn't want another confrontation between the two boys. "You better go find her." She urged Edward.

"I would rather you tell me." Edward insisted.

"I have to go and join Charlie. Find Alice, Edward. I have to go." Bella saw Charlie's head bob up over the other heads through the swarming crowd of parents. He spotted her and waved her over. "Bye."

Bella dashed over toward her father and the others; she didn't look back.

XXXXXXXX

"Bella!" Charlie crowed, pushing his way past the close packed families around them. "Congratulations!" He was still yelling, even though he was right at her ear now. He wrapped his arms around her.

"Thanks." Bella had never seen her father as emotional as he was today. It made tears form in her eyes, he was so proud of her, how could she have ever contemplated saying goodbye to him forever. He was her dad and she loved him. She returned his hug fiercely.

Then she was passed to another set of arms. Ones she had been waiting to feel wrapped around her since she had awoken that morning. Jacob's hug was stronger than anything she had ever known, as if holding her wasn't quite enough, he had to feel every ounce that she was press into every ounce that was him. In that moment of feeling so close, Bella felt more awake somehow, more alive than she had been in so very long.

There were times she felt as fragile as a butterfly who yearns for the cocoon, to be safe within walls, protected. That's what she felt in his embrace. It helped soften her anxiety, making it seem as if nothing bad could touch her. She wanted to stay wrapped in Jacob's arms every chance the universe was kind enough to let happen. It was so warm there; nothing could hurt her.

Finally, when he reluctantly let go, Bella knelt down in front of Billy. Jacob's father gazed at her warmly, his lined face brightened by a tender smile. "Congratulations, Bella. We are all proud of you." He said, echoing Charlie's sentiments.

"Thank you." Bella leaned forward to hug him, her eyes rising to meet Jacob's as she did so. In the sweet smile he bestowed upon her, was all the love she would ever need.

Charlie had booked a table at the Lodge. In Bella's opinion, it was overpriced and tacky, but it was the only thing close to a formal restaurant in town, so it was always popular for events. She stared morosely at a depressed looking stiffed elk head while Charlie ate prime rib and talked over the back seat to Tyler Crowley's parents. It was noisy-everyone there had just come from graduation, and most were chatting across the aisles and over the booth tops like Charlie.

While her father was so preoccupied holding court about her achievements with the other parents, she left Billy to keep an eye on Charlie, while she pulled Jacob outside with her, so she could update him on the latest turn of events.

"Wow, it makes perfect sense the way you put it." Jacob exhaled deeply, trying to sort out things in his mind. "I'll need to go alert the pack about this."

"Now?" Bella asked, feeling crestfallen that he was going to take off right away.

"Not right now." Jacob stood before her; his smile bright in the half dark. He leaned down to kiss her. It was a kiss steeped in passion that immediately ignited her own. It was the promise of realness, of the primal desire that lived just below the surface. In the moment of the kiss, they were their most pure and vulnerable selves.

Panting, Jacob smoothed her hair away from her forehead, his fingers gently cupping the back of her head. "I love you more than I have ever imagined that I could love someone!"

"Oh, Jake." Bella whispered, her arms finding their way around his neck. Suddenly teardrops started to fall from her eyes like a damn bursting. She was overemotional, a little tired, but completely content as he embraced her more fully. "Being with you is…like magic."

Jacob pulled her into another heated kiss. Under the open sky, lost in a bubble of time and space, not even noticing the ever-present rain beginning to pour down on them from the heavens above, they clung to one another, their lips melding together, knowing that they were each other's home.

A/N-thanks for reading!