'Maybe we should have waited, I mean we didn't need to come now'

'Bella, we are here to protect you now, you don't have to be alone anymore, you are all safer here, with us so why wait?'

I took a deep breath, and stared out of my window. We were speeding along the road towards the coast, the light was fading over the horizon and this is the time of day when fear would come over me, fear for my children, but here with Carlisle I felt safe for the first time since we last saw each other. I turned to look at Alice who was looking out of the window, a faint smile of excitement on her face, Jake was asleep in his carrier next to her. The car had turned down a winding side road that was almost completely hidden from view from the main road, it reminded me of the Cullen's house in Forks – the familiar ache in my chest began to surface.

'Did you tell him?'

'Not directly but I'm sure he knows, I wonder…'

'What?'

'If little Alice and Jake are immune to Edward's gift like you are'

'He can't hear them at the moment, my shield is protecting them'

'You have nothing to fear here, Bella'

'I know'

The car came to a stop outside the house. He wasn't there. Carlisle was already opening the passenger door to get Jake. I had never let anyone else pick him up before, I felt uneasy at the thought of not having him in my arms. I scanned the forest around us.

'Relax Bella, you're fine'

'I know, come on Alice'

She immediately got out of the car and took my hand. Carlisle started towards the front of the house, I started to follow but the figure appearing in the doorway stopped me. I could do nothing but stare at him.

'Is that him mom?' the low whisper came from my side.

'Bella' his velvet voice strained to say my name.

He was in front of me in an instant, so close to me, but keeping a guarded distance at the same time. I couldn't reply, I had to resist the urge to reach out and touch his face just to make sure he was real but the warmth against my hand reminded me of who had rescued me after the last time we parted. He looked down to my side where Alice was stood, his eyes wide – was that pain in his eyes at seeing the daughter of Jacob Black and Bella Swan? I was sure that no pain that he was enduring now could compete with the rip that was still embedded in my chest.

'Edward?'

'Yes?' He didn't take his eyes away from Alice as he replied to Carlisle.

'I think our guests would rather go inside than stay out here'

'Yes let's get these little one's inside' Esme appeared at the doorway.

'Oh Bella!' Esme hugged me tightly and I realised then how much I had really missed her. She turned her attention to Alice.

'Hello there, my name is Esme' she knelt down to her level and reached her hand out.

'I'm Alice' they shook hands and Esme's face lit up with the maternal instinct that was so strong in her but had been denied to fulfil its true potential.

'What a lovely name! I have a daughter called Alice too, ah here she is now'

Alice and Jasper appeared from the forest behind us. I could sense Jasper's uneasiness towards my warm blooded children. A hiss was rising in my throat but I silenced it when he retreated to keep his distance. I held Alice's shoulders ready to protect her if he slipped. Alice came skipping towards us.

'Hi Alice, I'm Alice – I think that already means we are going to be best friends' she laughed.

'Come on, I'll show you around the house'. She held her hand out for my daughter.

'It's okay honey' I encouraged my daughter to go, she smiled at me and took Alice's hand easily and they both headed towards the house. Alice turned to me and grinned.

'I should have known that you would have seen this'

'It wasn't easy keeping it from certain people, I don't know how I kept it in, I couldn't wait to see you, I missed you so much, I should have never left without saying goodbye' she glanced at Edward who ignored her, he was just staring at me. Carlisle and Esme carried Jake inside and Jasper disappeared to leave me alone with Edward.

How many times had I dreamt of this moment in the last 12 years?