Bella slept through the rest of the day and well into the following morning. She felt disoriented upon waking, unsure where she was for a moment. She rubbed her eyes as she sat upright in bed, listening to voices and other noises drifting from the kitchen.

Knowing Sue had gone to work that morning, Bella nearly brushed them off as something Charlie watched on television until a baby's cry filled the air.

"Oh, no," she groaned, nowhere near ready to see her step-brother after so long.

Will I even recognize him? He had to have changed a great deal in ten years. Bella had never even spoken to his wife, Amy, let alone met her in person. Seth had been kind enough to attend her wedding to Edward, and she hoped he'd forgiven her for skipping his. She assumed the invitation (via a phone call from Charlie) extended out of politeness more than anything.

Okay, Bella. How do we handle this? You could always pretend to stay asleep and wait for them to leave…

As if on cue, there came a light tapping on the guest bedroom door. Bella instinctively held her breath, remaining silent.

Seth's voice was familiar yet different simultaneously as he teased, "I can hear you, Bella. I know you're not asleep. You better get your short ass out here and see me right now, or I'm coming in there after you."

Bella couldn't help but laugh as Charlie laughed, her breath escaping in a whoosh. Suddenly, the spare bedroom door flew open and banged against the wall, revealing an older, bigger, and much harrier version of the boy she'd once known. Bella gaped at him, staring at his big, familiar eyes and bright smile, nearly hidden behind a full beard.

"Oh my god," she gushed. He playfully stomped toward her and hauled her out of bed by her waist, only to wrap her in a warm hug the second her feet were on the floor.

She gasped as his body heat swarmed her, a sensation she hadn't experienced in seven long years. Charlie's hug had felt like home, but Seth's was like magic, unlocking a dozen emotions. She blinked back tears and hugged him tighter, overwhelmed by how wonderful it felt. She finally admitted that she missed the wolves and immediately thought of Jacob. Seth had once reminded her of Jacob, idolizing his older cousin as he followed him around.

Seth sniffed and asked, "Are you crying?" He pulled back to meet her gaze and chuckled at the tears in her eyes and tale-tell blush. "Aw, it's okay, Bells," he said, pulling her into another hug. "I missed you too. And those red cheeks. I thought I'd never see them again."

"You always were too forgiving," she muttered against his chest, trying to ignore the double meaning of his words.

"You did what you had to, I'm sure," Seth said graciously before pressing a quick peck to her forehead. He reached down to wrap her hand in his and tugged her toward the door. "But none of that past nonsense. Come on. There's someone you need to meet."

Bella shook her head and followed, thankful she'd chosen to sleep with a sports bra under her tank top, or it would have been a very awkward morning.

Seth led her past the kitchen and into the living room, only releasing her hand to nudge her toward the Quileute woman on the couch. Her black chin-length hair framed her heart-shaped face. Amy had doe's eyes the color of dark moss, a button nose, and a shy smile. Her creamy complexion was much lighter than Seth's, and a slight pudge remained at her waist from her recent pregnancy despite the thinness of her arms and legs. Bella suspected Amy had appeared 'all baby' during the last few months. She was lovely in that girl-next-door way that Seth had always liked.

The baby in her arms cooed softly, looking like an infant version of the Seth that Bella remembered. Amy stood carefully, their son securely cradled in one arm as she stepped forward to hug Bella. "It's nice to meet you. Finally," she said, smiling at her husband. "Seth has always spoken so highly of you."

"Don't believe the hype," Bella teased as she hugged her back, then laughed. "I'm pretty sure he's the only one."

"Don't bet on it," Charlie muttered, making Seth snort.

Ignoring them, Bella asked, "So, I'm guessing this is my new nephew. Huh?"

Seth stepped around Bella to put his arm around his wife's shoulders. "Henry Lee Clearwater," he said, beaming down at his son. "Harry is traditionally a nickname for Henry. Did you know?"

"No, I didn't," Bella said, reaching for one of baby Henry's tiny hands. He immediately curled his fist around her finger and squeezed. Bella chuckled and said, "He's got a firm grip."

"And a hard kick," Amy said, laughing. "My ribs are still recovering from carrying this little troublemaker. What about you, Bella? Have you ever wanted children?"

"Not particularly," Bella said. "I adore them, of course, but I'm not sure I have the patience."

Seth and Charlie glanced at each other and chuckled. It was odd, in a way, how much Seth had grown to act like Charlie. The two had become thick as thieves, and it showed.

The antique clock on Charlie's mantel grabbed Bella's attention as it chimed, alerting her to the time. It was eleven AM, and her reservations were at noon. Bella carefully extracted her finger from her nephew's tiny grip and said, "I have to get going, guys. I need to be checked in at the Hotel soon."

Charlie said, "Why don't you come back afterward, kiddo? We could have lunch or something."

Bella asked, "Well, what time does Sue get home? I heard her leave this morning."

"Around five," Seth said. "Her schedule has been the same for like ten years."

Bella scoffed. "Mine, too. Hers is probably more exciting, though."

Turning back to Charlie, she asked, "Why don't we all meet for supper somewhere? Would Sue be up to it? My treat?"

"Amy has a roast in the slow cooker at home," Seth said, glancing toward his wife.

"We can put that away and have it tomorrow," Amy said. "I can drop Henry off at my sister's. It would be nice to get out for a bit."

"That's the spirit," Bella said. "Seth, you can order whatever you want. I remember how much you guys liked to eat."

He laughed and slapped his rock-hard stomach before looking down at his son. "Alright, ladies. Count me in."

"Great," Bella said, "You guys decide on a place and have Dad send me the address."

"Dad is right here," Charlie said, smirking.

Bella teased, "Yeah, but you're old now. You might forget."

"You're twenty-eight, but I'll still ground you," he muttered, making Seth cackle.

The abrupt noise startled Henry, and he began crying. Bella took advantage of the moment to dart back to the guest room to get dressed. She quickly remade the bed, trying to make the room look as close to how she'd found it the day before. She darted into the bathroom to tame her hair as best as possible and then rushed past her family to the front door.

Turning the handle, she said, "I really have to go now, but I'll see you guys at supper?" She turned and glared at the door as it flew toward her, nearly hitting her as she jumped back. She did a double-take at Leah's familiar resting bitch face and blinked in surprise.

"Heard you were back," Leah said, stepping inside. Though she'd stopped phasing years ago, Leah remained as fit and fearsome as she was when Bella left.

And equally pleasant, apparently. "Yep," Bella said with a tight smile, hoping she didn't look as rattled as she felt and refusing to let Leah ruin what little happiness Bella felt about coming home. "We're going to dinner tonight. You should come."

The invitation surprised her, and Leah pointedly looked at her brother. He nodded once, for either confirmation or encouragement, but Bella wasn't sure. She went to leave and froze mid-step as Leah said, "See you later, then, Swan."

Bella pulled the door closed behind her, ignoring the eyes she could feel on her back from the picture window as she jogged to the car.