I know, a bit of a wait on this one, but I struggle with Edward sometimes. He's... It's... Bah. I wrote a thing, and I hope you enjoy it :P

Chapter 4

Edward heard the others as they approached the house. He didn't particularly want to share Bella at the moment, but he knew Alice wouldn't let it rest until he did.

"Peace is broken," he told Bella, nudging her temple with his nose. "The mob is back."

Bella giggled quietly, making him smile.

"Are you ready to see them?" he asked when she looked up at him.

She shook her head. "I need to get a shower and get dressed."

He stared at her for a moment before he nodded hesitantly.

"What's wrong?" she asked, her eyes tracing his face, a worried look on her own.

"I…"

"Edward?"

"You've mentioned a few times that you, uh, that you want to…" he couldn't get the word to leave his mouth. "I can't lose you, Bella. I'm scared that I'm going to take my eyes off you for a moment, and something… I can't."

Understanding entered her eyes, and she sat up further on his knee so she was face to face with him.

"Would it make you feel better if someone was in the room with me?"

He nodded, gratitude flooding him that she did understand. "Who do you want, baby?"

"Esme," Bella murmured after a moment. "Please."

Within seconds, Esme was at the door, ushering Bella into the bathroom, collecting clothing from the wardrobe as she did. Edward listened until he heard the shower turn on before he left the room, flitting downstairs to the living room where the rest of the family were gathered.

"She'll be ready soon," he told them, leaning against the door frame. "Don't overwhelm her when she comes down. She seems to have triggers that I haven't quite worked out yet, but I don't want her upset."

Alice smiled at him, though she was the only one who did.

You did this to her, Edward.

He glanced sharply at Rosalie, who was glaring at him from where she sat with Emmett.

"You think I don't know that?" he snarled. "You think I'm not cursing myself for putting her through the pain she's felt?"

"We told you not to get involved with her!" Rosalie hissed. "She could have been happy with her human life!"

"Not everyone want's what you want, Rose," Carlisle replied calmly, sending a warning look between the two of them. "At this point, the bond between Bella and Edward has surpassed the first stages. They've both accepted it, and there is no turning back. It's time for you to let it go."

Rose sat back, mutinous but silent. Edward shook his head.

"I'm going to wait upstairs for Bella. If you can't be nice to her, perhaps you shouldn't be here when I fetch her downstairs."

Edward was waiting for her when she reentered the bedroom with Esme.

"I'll wait downstairs with the others," Esme murmured, pressing a soft kiss to Bella's head.

She nodded, walking straight into Edward's arms.

"I love you," he whispered, wrapping them around her. "I'm so sorry, Bella."

"For what?"

"For leaving you. For putting you through so much pain. For thinking I knew best. I almost destroyed us both."

"You're here now," she whispered, settling her head on his shoulder. "You're here now."

"Hmm," he replied, inhaling her scent. "Are you ready to go downstairs?"

She nodded. "Stay with me?"

"Always."

She stepped back, holding her hand out for him. He took it immediately, stroking the back of her's with his thumb. They walked down the stairs slowly, Bella's legs shaking slightly. After spending so much time in bed, she was struggling a little with holding her own weight.

Edward was itching to pick her up, he hated to see her struggle so, but he was aware that if he carried her everywhere, she'd never recover her strength.

"Bella!"

Alice was a blur as she moved from her seat to right in front of Bella, hugging her as tightly as she dared. Bella hesitated for only a second before she wrapped her free arm around Alice, keeping Edward's hand clutched in her other.

"I missed you, Bella."

"Missed you too," Bella whispered, her eyes glistening slightly.

When Alice moved out of the way, Edward led Bella to the free chair, sitting down then pulling her onto his lap. She settled against his chest, breathing a sigh of relief at taking the pressure off her legs.

"Bells, I missed you, sweetheart," Emmett said, looking at her with a mixture of anger and compassion on his face.

Bella smiled. "I missed you too, Bear."

Rosalie was staring at Bella with a look of shock on her beautiful face.

"This is what you did to her," she snarled, her eyes moving to Edward. "Look at her, Edward! You selfish bastard!"

Bella stared at her, shock and anger warring on her face.

"Rose," Carlisle said, narrowing his eyes slightly at her.

"No! She could have been happy, Carlisle! She was beautiful and she had her whole life ahead of her. Look at her! She's a shadow of the girl she was before!"

"Wait a minute," Bella interrupted. "You've never liked me, Rosalie, and I can accept that. Don't get angry with Edward for something to do with me when our relationship is absolutely none of your fucking business."

"Bella -"

"No. You don't have a right to be angry at Edward when he did exactly what you wanted to do. You wanted him to leave, you didn't want him to change me, and you got your wish. You can't be angry with him for the consequences now."

Bella was breathing heavy, but Alice, Carlisle and Esme all smiled at the fire in her eyes. Edward rubbed her side comfortingly, marvelling over the compassion and understanding in his mate. That she could still defend him after all the hurt he'd caused; she amazed him constantly.

"He should have left you alone to begin with," Rosalie said quietly.

"You had Carlisle change Emmett, did you not?"

"He was dying, it's completely different."

"Is it? I don't think it is. What if Emmett had been angry about being changed into a vampire? I mean, I'm happy for your sake that he took to the lifestyle so easily, but what if he hadn't? I know that you share Edward's belief that your souls are condemned, so how is it different what you did to Emmett. He might have been dying at the time, but the results are still the same."

"It's different," Rose snarled.

"No," Bella argued. "It's not different. You call Edward selfish, but he's not the only one. You've had your mate by your side for years. Edward has been alone for so long, watching the rest of his family, all mated, be happy. How selfish is it that he wants that for himself?"

"You could have lived a full life, Bella, you don't understand what you're giving up!"

"I understand what I'm gaining," Bella replied. "And you're missing the point. If you'd come across Emmett while he was still healthy, what would you have done? Would you have left him to live his life with another woman, a human woman?"

Rosalie hesitated, glancing at Emmett. That was all Bella needed.

"Of course you wouldn't. You'd have had him changed regardless. Edward has made mistakes, so has everyone else. I don't need your approval to be with my soul mate, Rosalie, and as much as I would like to call you my sister as I do Alice, it won't change anything if you decide you want nothing to do with me."

She settled back into Edward's arms, nuzzling her face into his neck. His arms tightened slightly, and she sighed her comfort.

Rose stood up, leaving the room without a backward glance. Emmett sighed but followed her, stopping only to bend and press a gentle kiss on Bella's cheek.

"I'm glad you're home, Bells."

A few moment's passed by in silence, before Alice chuckled.

"Well done, Bella."

Bella frowned, turning her head to look at Alice. "Huh?"

"You've just helped Rose turn a corner in her thinking. Things will be better between you from now on."

Bella smiled. "That's good."

A phone rang in another room and Carlisle excused himself to answer it.

"Bella?"

Jasper sat forward in his seat.

"I'm very sorry for my actions on your birthday, Bella."

"Don't worry about it," she replied. "I never blamed you for that. As fragile as my body may be to you, I always knew the dangers of being around vampires, Jazz. You were dealing with the bloodlust of everyone else that night, and that makes you the strongest of all of you."

He stared at her for a moment, and she knew he was testing her emotions.

She really means it. Edward, she's incredible. So forgiving and compassionate.

Edward smiled. "I know."

When Bella frowned, Jasper rolled his eyes at his brother.

"Thank you, Bella. I was just surprised at your compassion and Edward was answering my thoughts."

Bella snorted. "I had forgotten how annoying that could be."

Carlisle reentered the room, smiling at Bella. "That was Charlie on the phone. When I told him you were up and about, he decided to come and see you."

Bella nodded. "Thanks, Carlisle."

"Of course, sweetheart."

Edward frowned. "We need to speak to Billy Black as well," he said, his eyes on his father figure. "Not only to inform the of our return, but about his breach of the treaty."

"Billy breached the treaty? What did he do?" Bella asked.

"Told your father about us," Edward told her.

"Charlie knows?"

When Edward nodded, Bella rolled her eyes. "Of course he does. That's why they did that thing, right?"

"Thing?"

"Hmm. I remember some of it. They were trying to convince me that you had me under your thrall. Fucking nutjobs."

Edward choked out a laugh, as Carlisle, Jasper and Alice let their own out without trying to fight it. Esme shook her head, but she was smiling all the same.

"Sorry, Esme," Bella murmured.

"It's alright, sweetheart. I can understand your anger."

"You're not supposed to have favourites, mom," Emmett complained as he and Rosalie returned to the room.

Esme rolled her eyes. "I don't have favourites."

"Yeah, yeah. If I drop the F-Bomb, you make me do chores."

"That take you all of three seconds," Rosalie replied with a small chuckle.

"So not the point, Rosy," Emmett complained.

Bella dozed against Edward for a while, half listening to the murmur of the family's voices. It was soothing, comforting unlike anything she'd felt in months.

"Charlie is here, baby," Edward told her quietly.

She opened her eyes as Carlisle led her dad into the room.

"Hey, Dad," she murmured.

"Bells," he replied, holding a hand out to help her up from Edward's lap. When she stood, he pulled her into a hug, holding her tightly against his chest. When he's had his fill, he held her out at arm's length so he could look at her. "This is what you want?"

She frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Edward told me… you wanted to be changed into… before. This is what you want?"

She nodded, a tear falling from her eye to her cheek. "I can't be without him, Daddy."

Charlie stared at her for a moment before he nodded. "Okay. How are you feeling?"

"Better," she replied, offering him a small smile.

He released her and she sank back onto Edward's lap. All the talk and confrontation and reunions had made her tired, but she knew she couldn't go to sleep yet. It would be rude, and she really did want to make her dad feel better.

"How was work, Daddy?"

"Quiet," he replied was a small chuckle.

The two of them spoke for a little while, before he stood up to leave.

"I'll pop up and see you tomorrow, sweetheart, okay?"

"Sure, Dad, I'll be here."

He nodded, kissing her cheek. She was surprised but happy when he gripped Edward's shoulder for a moment before he left, offering quiet goodbyes to everyone else.

"We'll be seeing Billy Black and Sam Uley at the boundary line tonight," Carlisle said. While Charlie had been there, he'd called the reservation to arrange the meeting. "They are requesting we fetch Bella with us."

"Why?" Edward asked, frowning.

"I believe they want to make sure she is with us of her own volition."

"It's none of their business," Bella muttered. "But I'll go if it'll shut em up."

"Bella, this probably won't be the end of it," Edward warned her. "I doubt they'll give up so easily."

Bella sighed. "Let's just see what they say. If needs be, I'll ask my dad to talk to Billy. I just… why can't anyone accept that I am yours, body, mind, heart and soul? It's nobody else's business what we do, why can't they just butt out?"

"I don't know, baby, but we'll get through it. Together."

She smiled slightly. "Together. I like that."