A/N... Everyone keep JenRar in your thoughts. She's not feeling well. Sunshine1220 helped clean this up a bit from what I like to call my comma drama. ;) Thank you for your patience at skipping a week. I was dealing with some RL stuff, and my time was limited to write.

Anyway, I'll let you get to it.

~oOo~

Chapter 17

BELLA

The distant sound of a bell slowly pulled me out of my sleep. It was an alien sound to me; not one I'd heard before. And it took a moment to realize that I wasn't in Oz anymore. We were in a new place.

"Bella?" I heard whispered next to me. "Bella, wake up."

I blinked my eyes open, seeing Carlisle kneeling next to me. I'd fallen asleep on their sofa. In the background, Rose was staring out the window.

"That's the docks," he said softly. "It means someone's approaching the island."

"Okay," I mumbled, rubbing my face and then my belly. "I'm up." I swung my legs over the edge of the sofa and placed my feet on the floor, and Carlisle offered me a hand to help me up. "I'm probably going to regret sleeping on that thing."

He grinned at that, nodding once. "Maybe, but I was just happy that you got some rest."

He looked so much like his son that my heart hurt. I missed Edward, but even more, I was worried about him. I was worried about all of them. The smoke and fire we could see in the distance scared the shit out of me. If they all were caught or killed, we'd never really know the truth.

I padded into the bathroom to relieve the pressure Emily was putting on my bladder and then pulled my hair up into a ponytail. Carlisle, Rose, and Esme were all waiting for me at the door. The docks weren't far from the houses we'd claimed as ours. But instead of walking, Carlisle loaded us up into a cart that he said used to be for playing golf. It was electric and quiet, but it got him around the island without having to scrounge for gas. Flash was working on getting more of them.

The ferry loomed over us when we pulled up to the docks. The bell was still ringing, and one of the fishermen – Tyler – had binoculars up to his face as he scanned the water. He was in his late forties, with mocha skin and a sweet smile. His dark hair had a touch of gray at the temples.

"Two boats!" he called out, without taking his eyes away from those binoculars. "It's our people."

"Who… Who do you see?" I asked him.

He grinned my way. "Just about everyone, but I see your dad and Edward." He glanced to Rose. "I see big Em too."

My eyes stung with tears, and I took a seat on a bench at the edge of the dock. I gazed over at a few people milling around. The sign that had welcomed people to Anderson Island had been painted over. I snorted that we had carried the name Oz with us to this new home. Someone had played on the book, and painted "There's no place like home" just above "Welcome to Oz."

Not the Outer Zone but Oz.

As the boats sped closer, Esme took a seat next to me, picking up my hand.

"Relax, sweetheart. It looks like most of our people made it back," she said softly.

"Most," I repeated, my brow furrowing.

"Doc!" someone called Carlisle. "Looks like we're gonna need you!"

Esme and I gasped, and we both got up to move closer to the other side of the pier as the two boats docked. There was a bit of chaos when they tied off, but I could see that it was Jake who was injured, because Sam and Emmett practically carried him. His thigh was wrapped tight and there was blood seeping through the bandage, but he looked alert and aware. For a flickering second, I wondered what the points were on surviving a gunshot wound.

However, it was the appearance of the two men I needed most that chased away all other thoughts. My dad and Edward climbed up out of two different boats, and I honestly didn't know who to go to first.

Edward, though, was faster than my dad, and I was immediately wrapped up in the arms I would have missed most should something had gone wrong.

"I'm okay, love," Edward whispered in my ear. "I'm sorry it took so long."

I gripped the back of his jacket in two tight fists, letting the tears soak into his shirt. He pressed kisses to my forehead, my cheek, and my neck.

"It's over," he said, and I pulled back to look up at him. He cupped my face and nodded. "We did it. The computer virus was set, Aro and Demetri are gone, and most of the raiders were eliminated."

Something sad crossed his face, and I asked, "What? What aren't you saying, Edward?"

"We… We lost Alistair and Mr. Weber," he stated in a whisper.

I swallowed thickly, glancing between his face and my father's as he walked to us. "Both? We lost both of them?" I squeaked.

"Yeah, baby girl. I'm afraid so," Dad said, reaching for me. I wrapped my arms around my dad, suddenly so grateful, I could barely stand. "Easy, Bells. Here, let's sit you down."

Edward didn't even wait; he simply scooped me up gently and set me on the bench, taking a knee in front of me. Dad took the spot beside me.

Edward's large, warm hands landed on my belly, rubbing sweetly. "No more stress for my girls," he whispered, grinning at my dad's chuckle. "That's it. We're done with stress."

I huffed a sniffling laugh but shook my head, my smile falling as quickly as it appeared. "But Al? What happened?"

"Raiders, kiddo," Dad answered, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "He was seen, there was fight, and he didn't make it."

My tears welled up and spilled over. Alistair had watched over me and Edward from the moment Edward had brought me back to Oz. He'd vowed to my dad that he'd keep us safe, but that he would also train us, teach us, guide us. He'd been the father substitute I'd needed while my dad was undercover. It was hard to reconcile that I lost Alistair only to get my father home permanently.

Dad squeezed my shoulder, but Edward reached up to brush my tears away. "I'm sorry, baby," he said, his own eyes watery.

I nodded, leaning forward to kiss his lips. "Me, too. But you two are home, so I'm a little all over the place emotionally. Which isn't a shock considering…" I trailed off, gesturing to my baby belly.

Edward chuckled softly, kissing my lips and then my belly over my shirt.

"Son?" Carlisle said, placing a hand on Edward's shoulder. When Edward looked up at him, he smiled. "Good to have you home, but I'm going to take Jake to the clinic. Hell of a job on his bandage."

Edward flashed a grin, jerking a chin toward Alice. "She helped."

"Well done to you both," he said softly, and then pointed toward the cluster of homes. "Your mother and I took the blue house with white trim. If you want, you guys can clean up and wait for me there. I'd like to be with you when we show you the house that we chose for you and Bella. Even she hasn't seen it yet."

Edward chuckled a little. "Yes, sir. Thank you."

My eyes welled up again when a group of men lifted a covered body from the first boat.

"Mr. Weber," Edward stated sadly, and when I gazed back at him, his nose wrinkled. "We had to leave Alistair's body behind."

"I'm sorry," I sobbed, glancing between the two men I loved most in the world.

Edward's strong, calloused hands cupped both sides of my face. "We were lucky that there weren't more losses, Bella. And only Jake was injured."

I eyed the bandage over his eye and noted a few cuts and scratches, and once again, Edward would be sporting a black eye by tomorrow. I leaned in and kissed the bandage lightly.

"I'm okay," he whispered, and I nodded.

My dad stood up when Sue showed up on the docks, and she rushed to hug him. When she gazed around at everyone, I saw when it hit her who we were missing. The loss of Alistair would rock the citizens of Oz for a bit. He'd kept us safe, organized, and vigilant. He'd used his military training to its fullest extent.

We honestly wouldn't be where we were without him. And that was going to be tough to overcome.

Esme approached us, and Edward stood up to hug his mother. She whispered softly to him, and he nodded, pulling back to smile down at her.

"Come on, I'll feed you all, and by that time, your father will be back," she told him, but she was addressing the whole crew.

Emmett, Rose, Jasper, and Alice took her up on her offer. The rest went with Sue, because Sam and Seth wanted to check on Jake.

Before we separated, my dad hugged me again. "I'm going to check on the boy. I'll come back with Carlisle."

Nodding against the kiss he pressed to my forehead, I said, "We'll save you a plate."

Esme led the way to her house, and the whole walk was slow because of me. But Edward didn't seem to care. Once we were inside, Esme pointed out restrooms, so everyone could at least wash their face and hands.

As much as I wanted to help Esme in the kitchen, I couldn't seem to separate from Edward at the moment. Rose and Alice offered to help her, and I sat down on the edge of the bed Rose and I had shared to wait for my husband to clean up a little in the guest bathroom.

When he stepped back into the room, I said, "You'll have to wait to change clothes. Everything has already been dropped off."

He smiled, shrugged, and came to stand in front of me. I couldn't stop myself from wrapping my arms around his middle and burying my face in his shirt. He dropped kisses over and over to the top of my head as his fingers played with my ponytail.

"I was scared," I whispered.

"Did you even sleep?" he asked at the same time, which made us both chuckle. He pried my arms from around his waist and knelt in front of me. "Guess that answers that question."

Grinning, I placed my hands flat on either side of his face. "A little. Rose and I started in here. And ended up in the living room with your mom. We could see the fires from here." I paused for a moment. "Where were you in all of that?"

He sighed, turned his head to kiss my palm, and then leaned in to kiss the baby over my shirt. "Oh, pretty much in the middle of it all," he said softly, not bothering to lift his lips, which made Emily shift a bit.

His smile lit up his face brighter than the fires we'd seen in the distance. It was the same brilliant smile every time he felt her move.

"She knows me."

"She might be punching you for causing her mother's stress."

Edward chuckled, pressing more kisses to the same spot over and over. "I don't blame her. Soon, you two will team up against me on a daily basis… and I can't wait."

I brought his face to mine, kissing him. "I love you, and thank you for bringing my dad home."

Edward nodded. "He saved my life. I'm pretty sure he brought me home to you."

My heart fluttered at that, and I shook my head. "Do I want to know?"

"No, love. Probably not, but we'll go over everything once everyone's had a chance to clean up, rest, and eat. I'd like Sue and Flash to be there. Okay?"

"Yeah, definitely. I'm… I'm just…" I didn't even bother to finish that sentence, opting to kiss him stupid.

It built and grew, lighting a fire between us, but Edward smiled into it, pushing me back a little.

"Me, too, Bella," he whispered against my lips. "Me, too."

When we joined everyone in the dining room, there was a happy, boisterous feel to the house. There was also an overwhelming sense relief and pride in the air. The smells from Esme's kitchen made me hungry for the first time in days. The scent of eggs, bacon, and something sweet, which might have been French toast, wafted throughout the place.

Those were things we had in abundance in Oz. Sector B used to bake their own bread, along with raising chickens and pigs. Now they had enough room for wheat and corn. With power, water, lakes, and open spaces, the island would sustain us for generations. Flash's people would probably continue to scout for things, but we were now in a place where we wouldn't have to steal.

Alice approached Edward, handing his gun back. "Thank you," she said softly.

He huffed a laugh. "No, Alice. Thank you." He pushed her hand that was holding the gun back toward her. "In fact, keep it. You've earned it. I'll use Bella's or I'll get another one from Flash."

"Well, now I fucking know some hefty shit went down," Rose muttered as she set down a plate stacked with bacon.

Edward flashed a grin. "You're right about that," he told her, holding out a chair for me. Once I sat down, he kissed the top of my head and went to see his mother.

She hugged him fiercely and then turned back to the stove. By the time all of us had sat down at the table, the front doors opened, and Carlisle and Dad walked in.

"How's Jake?" Edward asked.

"He'll be fine. He'll be off that leg and using crutches for a bit, but he'll be fine. That was one lucky wound," Carlisle told his son, shaking his head.

"That's what I said!" Jasper exclaimed with an incredulous laugh. "Wonder what the points were on that…"

"Seth said it only counted as two points," Dad answered, his mustache twitching in amusement. "One for the bullet going in, and one for the bullet going out. But Jake said it's thirty-eight points. A point for every stitch Carlisle gave him and each wound."

That made the whole room laugh.

"They'll be beatin' the piss outta each other soon enough," Emmett tacked on to the end of that conversation, and we all nodded in agreement.

"Let's eat," Esme said, sounding a bit like Edward when he'd put his foot down on something, but I could tell she was just grateful for everyone who was alive and well, sitting at that table. "After that, we'll get everyone settled into their homes."

~oOo~

EDWARD

I jerked awake, and for a split second, I wasn't quite sure where I was. Blurry vision became clearer, and the new house wasn't as important as the sleeping beauty next to me.

Carefully, I brushed her hair out of her face, and she didn't even stir. My dad said she was fine while I was gone – maybe a touch dehydrated, but nothing to panic about. My mother said Bella had worried about me and her father, which made her unable to truly sleep. But looking at her now, I could see Bella was finally relaxed.

I wanted her to rest, so I got up to explore the house my parents had not only found for us, but they'd also done their best to set it up a little. By the time we'd made it here the day before, I was too tired to give it much attention.

The most I'd absorbed about the house was that it was a few lots over from my parents' home. Theirs had been blue; ours was green. It had three bedrooms, two baths, a garage, and a back deck that faced the water.

The island had its own power, and most of the buildings utilized some sort of solar panels to supplement that power – just in case. However, the island was quieter than the old Oz.

Quietly, I poked around in the kitchen. It seemed my mother had taken the time to put a few supplies for us in there – eggs, bread, fresh fruits and vegetables, coffee. The latter was what I wanted more than anything, so I made a small pot, pouring myself a cup before exploring some more.

The living room was painted a calm, light gray on the walls with white trim, and a dark gray color to the hardwood floors. It sort of looked like driftwood. A sofa and two chairs faced a rather large fireplace. And I knew I'd just found where Bella would snuggle in to read, a thought that made me smile, because my girl had always lost herself to the written word.

The extra bedroom was empty, except for a few boxes and bags of our stuff. It was the last room across the hall from ours where I came to a stop.

Emily's room.

The walls were the palest of blue, and while that might have been a traditional boy color, it worked with the ocean theme that Bella had wanted so badly. And that theme worked better here, because just outside, I could hear seagulls start their day as the sun was barely coming up, calling out to each other out along the water.

While there were things left to put away all over the house, that wasn't the case for the baby's room. It was set up, decorated, and ready to go. They'd set it up just like it had been in the old apartment, with fishing nets tacked up in the corner as a hammock for a bunch of stuffed toys – fish, whales, seahorses, and turtles. The octopus-shaped rug was sprawled in front of the crib, which had one of those dangling things over it. That thing was amazing and looked like someone had made it by hand. Another octopus held strings in his eight tentacles, holding onto a mermaid, starfish, seahorses, and a stingray. They were all stuffed and made with different colors of felt.

Pictures were already hung on the walls, and a basket of bottles, diapers, wipes, and pacifiers sat on the floor next to the rocking chair. There was also a case of baby formula sitting in the corner of the room on the other side of the dresser, in case breastfeeding posed a challenge.

All we needed was our baby girl, though she was a handful of weeks away from being due. I really couldn't wait for that.

As I leaned in the doorway, I took it all in, absorbing what changes were happening around us, and that meant Bella and me as well as all the people of Oz. Everything was changing. I wasn't quite sure what to do about the people we left behind on the Sound. They'd need help and leadership and supplies, but I couldn't give it the concentration it deserved this morning.

I turned around and went out on the back deck through the living room. The sun was barely peeking up, and in the distance, the smoke was still rising high.

Yeah, they were going to need help. And while most of them turned a blind eye to Oz's plight, I wasn't sure I could do the same to them.

I breathed deeply the sea air, shaking my head a little before taking a sip of my coffee. I didn't miss the smell of waste or garbage; the potent scents of destruction, decay, and concrete, and the gritty feeling of the air we'd always lived in – all of that was gone.

There were no more fucking walls.

With that thought, I had to sit down on the back deck steps. The threats against us were gone. There may be a few asshole raiders left, but they couldn't touch us anymore. They held no power. They wouldn't have known where we moved everyone, either.

Again, the thought of the innocent, like Aro's slaves that Alice had set free, came to mind. I was sure Sue would probably want to open our arms for people who were trapped in a life that wasn't in their control. I wasn't sure how I felt about new people; mistrust would definitely be an issue, but I had a difficult time just leaving people to suffer. We'd all fucking suffered enough.

I heard the door open behind me, and I smiled up at my Bella. She wore my shirts to bed more than her own, because they were big enough for that tummy of hers.

"C'mere, love," I said, holding my arms out for her after setting my cup down. "Come watch the sun come up with me."

She sat down sideways on my lap, wrapping her arms around my shoulders. "Mornin'."

I smiled, leaning in to press kisses to her cheek as I held her close with one hand and rubbed that belly with the other. "Mornin', my girls."

Bella's grin was sleepy and sweet as she let out a little giggle – honestly my favorite sound – and laid her head on my shoulder. We were quiet for a few minutes, the only sounds were all the nature around us – seabirds, water splashing against docks and shores, and some squirrels chattering at each other.

When we were kids, all we wanted was her dad back behind the walls and Aro gone. As we got older, the two of us just wanted to be together, safe, happy, in love. We'd fought together to get to this point, and it was finally here. And apparently, we were thinking along the same lines this morning.

"Everything feels different," she whispered, breaking the silence between us.

"Hmm," I hummed in agreement, pressing my cheek against her head. "It does. It's a bit overwhelming, actually."

Her head popped up. "It is, right?"

Grinning, I kissed her lips. "Yes, ma'am. I'm sure we need a resistance meeting. And maybe a memorial service."

"We should get with Sue and my dad."

"And Flash. I want to know if he can still see the Sound's network," I told her, kissing her lips soundly. "But not right this second. Right now, I'm gonna put some music on our player, make us some breakfast, and love on my girls until someone comes to get us."

Bella grinned, breaking into a giggle when I stood up with her in my arms. I took her inside and set her down in a chair at the kitchen table. The player was in a box in the living room, and I set it up on the kitchen counter as I got to work on breakfast.

I knew there were things to still do. I wasn't sure what could be done about the people still in the Sound, and I wanted to know if Sue wanted us to go back to retrieve Alistair's body. I wasn't even sure that last thing was possible with the fires still burning.

There were new rules to make, guard duties to plot out and assign, and the residents of the new Oz would need help setting up. The old sectors wouldn't exist anymore, but we still needed farming, schools, clinics, and a place for the elderly.

And above all of that, Bella needed a check-up with my dad. As much as I wanted to help set Oz up in this new place, my heart, my mind, my soul was on my family. Bella and Emily came first. I'd spent three damn days fighting and running in the Sound to get back to them, and now, I wanted to focus on getting ready for Emily's arrival.

I wasn't sure if that made me selfish or if it meant my priorities were shifting now that we were free. Alistair's last words to me rattled around in my mind as I scrambled eggs and toasted bread.

Never stop resisting.

I wanted to think that was the paranoia of a dying man, but something told me that he felt something would happen down the line. I made a mental note to go over that with the elders, but this morning was about my girls.

~oOo~

A/N... This story isn't quite over yet. It won't be as long as some of my past stories, but there is a bit more to go.

I think I should be able to post next Sunday. I mean, I'm aiming for it, anyway. So let's hope I can stay focused on it. I've got a start on the next chapter, so that's a good sign.

Also, it seems this site is taking its sweet time fixing the email alerts, so you can follow me on Facebook or X to see when I post, or download the app for this site.

So... Until next time... Mooches, Deb ;)