Bella's stay with the Cullen's had been perfect. She got to see his local haunts, explore the artifacts from all their travels, and finally get to have a real mom. The last had been the hardest to cope with in some ways. Bella loved her mother, but based on Esme and the other moms she'd been around, she wasn't really a mom. She was and had been a friend and when she was younger, a confidante, but that wasn't enough.

Her mother's accusations and arguments in Brazil had separated them even further. If Renee had had her way, Bella would've flown straight to Tampa and not even seen her Dad again. Charlie hadn't always been the best dad, but she never had to worry about bills or eviction notices. Renee put herself first, Charlie hadn't.

Bella was looking forward to the road trip to Forks. It was an estimated 33 hour drive, but they planned on taking things slow. It was their first real time alone since being rescued and being confined to the car felt kind of like being confined to the raft.

They did similar things; reading to each other, talking about marine life, telling stories from their childhoods, and playing twenty questions. The big differences were real bathrooms, music and good food.

"Ok, best food since we've been back?" She asked, continuing their endless game of twenty questions.

"My mom's apple cobbler." Bella remembered that fondly. His mom was such a good baker.

"Mmm, that was good, but for me it's got to be the deep-dish pizza. I can't believe I survived 18 years without it."

"I don't think they have that in Florida." He teased.

"Guess we'll have to visit your family often then" She was sincere. Any excuse to visit would be good for her. "Your mom gave me the recipe for the apple crumble and a few of your other favorites. Once we get settled in our apartment, I'll attempt it."

"I can be your official taste tester." She laughed at his enthusiasm.

"Any other skills you can provide?" Not taking his eyes off the road, he slipped his right hand down to grip her thigh.

"I can think of a few." They hadn't gone beyond using their hands since being rescued. She had been too uncomfortable doing it with his parents just down the hall and the previous night in the hotel, they'd both been too tired. She planned on fixing that tonight. His rumblings steered her thoughts out of the gutter. "I can cook almost any meat on a grill."

"A juicy steak?"

"Shrimp, mussels, fish" She couldn't help but smack his arm at his teasing. It would be a long time before she ate seafood again. "Or a juicy steak. I don't know if you noticed, but my dad typically makes the meat and my mom the side dishes. They've done it that way as long as I remember."

"I love your parents."

"One day they'll be yours too" Bella's smile matched his as she envisioned them marrying one day. She never thought she'd find someone like him.

As much as she was apt to doubt it, now that they were in the "real world", she couldn't deny Edward loved her. He was so thoughtful and caring with her. He showed her with his actions every day how much he loved her, and the talk of marriage certainly erased any lingering worries. The doubts were a combination of her own low self-esteem and her mother's negative attitude about all things relationships. She just had to shove them both away.

They fell silent, but she wouldn't let his hand leave her thigh. She turned it over and traced his palm, much like she had on the raft. Palm reading classes showed his long life line matched hers perfectly. It was a thought that brought her mother to mind.