I opened my eyes and forgot where I was for a moment. I was home. I smiled and sat up, listening to the rain hit my window with little plinks, and looking around my room. My bag and boots were sitting infront of my closet door.

I chuckled as I pictured Bella and Alicen bringing them up. Bella would be carrying my beg and a boot and Alicen would have the other boot, giggled. Bella would be giggling at her and sushing her so, Alicen would place her little hand over her mouth. Oh how I missed being home.

I climbed out of بستر and ran my hands through my hair. I brushed my teeth and made my way downstairs. I could hear موسیقی playing and Alicen's laughing fill the halls of the condo. I peeped around the corner and Bella had Alicen on her hip, spinging her around in circles, Alicen's hair flying around her face.

Bella sang as she danced for Alicen.

I broke your jaw once before
I spilled your blood upon the floor
آپ broke my leg in return
So sit back and watch the بستر burn
Love sticks
Sweat drips
Break the lock if it don't fit.

Bella put her down to stir what was on the stove. Alicen started playing air گٹار and Bella kept singing. My crazy loves.

A kick to the teeth is good for some
A kiss with a fist is better than none
A kiss with a fist is better than none.

I put myself into full view and cleard my throat.

Alicen and Bella spun around to look at my, their hand above their brow.

"Sergeant Cullen." Bella smirked.

"Sergeant Daddy Cullen." Alicen was smiling wide.

"At ease little soldier." I smiled down at Sin.

"Permission to hug, Segreant Daddy Cullen." She asked.

"Permission granted, little soldier." I scooped her up in my arms and inhaled her سٹرابیری, اسٹرابیری sented shampoo. Just like her mom.

"I missed آپ Daddy." She whispered.

"I missed آپ to, baby."

She pulled back and looked at me. "And did آپ miss, Mommy?"

I missed her مزید than I could express with words یا actions. "Yes. And Mommy."

"I missed آپ too, Cullen." Bella smiled.

I put Alicen down and she ran off to the living room.

I pulled Bella into a hug. "I'm glad your home."
She کہا into my chest.

"I'm glad to be home." I told her.

She put her hands on the side of my face to hold me. My دل was beating out of my chest, my pulse taunting me in my ears. I thought my lungs were going to collapse. The stood on her toes and turned her head then kissed me....on my cheek.

Not what I was expecting.

What ever she had on the stove boiled over a sizzled against the stove top's heat. "Shoot." she muttered and spun around in my arms.

I could feel my دل hit the pit of my stomach and relization hit me. No, of course she wasn't going to kiss me. I just needed to get my head straight. Yes, we have a daughter together and yes, we live under the same roof, but none of that ment she loved me مزید than the father of her child. I bit my tongue and swallowed the lump in my throat, turning on my heels.

"Edward?" Bella's voice sag behind me.

I turned around and met her eyes, full of concern. "Are آپ okay?" Her voice was barely louder than a whisper.

I nodded, not trusting my voice. "Fine." I rasped out. I walked back up to my room and grabbed clothes out of my dresser. A شاور was the only thing that was going to calm me right now. My throat hurt terribly as I held back my tears. I know...sappy right? I held my self up against the dresser and steadied my breathing. This was going to be much harder than I thought.

Bella's pov

I had him in my hands and I wanted مزید than anything to be able to kiss me. But I couldn't risk our friendship. Not just for me and Edward, but for Alicen also. So I settled and kissed his cheek.

The water for the Mac & Cheese boiled over the top. "Shoot." I muttered and turned to turn the heat down.

When I turned around Edward was fixen to leave the room. The way he was holding himself told me something was wrong. "Edward?"

He turned around, his eyes peirced with pain. "Are آپ okay?"

He just nodded then a few سیکنڈ later answered in words. "Fine." Was all he said. He turned on his heels and practicly ran up the stairs.

I sighed and closed my eyes. I needed Alice.



"So, آپ kissed his cheek? That's it? No kiss on the lips? Not even a little..peck?" She asked through the phone.

"Just on the cheek. I mean, before he looked so happy. Then I kissed his cheek, turned around for two seconds, then when I turned back around his back was to me and he was all slumped over. Like he does when he's sad. I just don't know what is going one." I sighed and placed my feel hand over my fourhead.

"Bella, I know آپ don't want to tell him how آپ feel, but maybe آپ should. Maybe that's what's wrong. Maybe he didn't want a kiss on the cheek. Maybe he wanted something a little more...meaningful?"

"No. If he doesn't feel the same way, it could make things weird for us. Alicen's parents are already not even in any type of romantic relationship. The last thing she needs is parents who barely talk. So, just, no." I shook my head.

"Well, can't say I didn't try to help آپ Bella. Listen, I have to go. Jasper is taking me out tonight. Talk to آپ soon. Bye, Bells."

"Have fun! Bye, Alice." I clicked the end button and set the phone on the table. I pushed myself up off the chair and grabbed the fishsticks out of the تندور and took the mac and cheese off the burner. "Alicen! Baby, lunch is ready!"

I placed everything on her plate and set it on the table. She pranced in with Edward right behind her in a fresh green button up with rolled up sleeves and slighly faded jeans. Lord, he was going to be the death of me.

"Is there enough for me?" He asked.

"Of course." I smiled and handed him his plate.

"Mommy make the best maccroni." Alice complemented, shoveling a spoon full into her mouth.

"I know." He chuckled.

I laughed with them at Alicen and took my place at the table. Edward at the head of the table, me, then Alicen.

Alicen gulped her coolaid and licked her now red stained lip.

"Anything exciting happen while آپ were gone?" I turned to Edward.

He ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. "Nah. Same old rookies who thank they have what it takes from the git go. Then when they are running on three hours of sleep, they are the shi-I mean stuff anymore."

I giggled. "Sailor." I accused him. "You thought آپ were the shi-stuff too."

"Ha ha. And I knew it was going to be tuff, I just didn't know how tuff." He downed the last of his sweet چائے and sit back. "But I am the shi-stuff now."

"Oh yeah dude." I huffed. "You're the bomb."

"Bomb!" Edward suddenly jumped up. "Did آپ hear that little solider?"

"Run!" Alicen jumped down. "Come one soldier! We have to find محفوظ ground!"

"Go. Save your self!" Edward yelled after her as she ran سے طرف کی him.

"No soldier! I can't let آپ stay here alone. If one goes, we all go!" She took the bowl Edward was handing to her and put it on her head for a helmet. I had to laugh.

"You think this is funny rookie?" She yelled at me.

"No." I went serious.

"No, what?" She asked and got up in my face.

"Ma'am no ma'am." I told her.

"That's what I thought. Now move, move, move!"

I got up and Edward took my hand. He picked up Alicen and ran into the living room. He threw her on the couch. I jumped over the back and he threw himself over the سوفی, لٹانا and landed on the floor. Alicen was holding up a تکیا as a sheild. Edward on the floor was pretending to hold a gun and was scopin out the room.

"Looks clear, soldiers." He stood up straight and Alicent took the bowl off her head.

"Good work, team." Alicen nodded. "Back to the bunks." She saluted us and headed up to her room.

We stood in silence for a moment as we watched her climb the stairs. "Well that was exciting." I laughed.

"That is was." Edward agreed.

"I'm going to clean up the kitchen." Please follow, please follow, please follow...

"I'll help." He smiled.

YES! "Thanks." I turned and headed for the kitchen.

We were washing dishes. Well, I was washing and he was drying.

"I really did miss this." He told me.

"Missed what?" I asked. So much crap went on at this house.

"Just being able to dry dished while آپ washed. Seeing آپ smiled and laugh. Seeing Alicen smiled and laugh. Just being home." He smiled as I handed him a plate.

"We missed آپ too." I smiled back. "You know. It's been a while since we have a night out with all of us."

"We need to go out tonight. Me, you, and Alicen. To a nice restraunt where آپ have to wear a dress and I have to wear a tie, and آپ have to use your fork and the waitor has a cheesy accent and stuff." He laughed.

I laughed with him. "Sounds...fun. What time?"

"How about...six?"

"Perfect."

I was finishing getting ready with Alicen sitting on the toilet lid watching me pin up my hair. She was wearing a گلابی dress with multi colored polk-a-dots and a blue ribbon around the waist. I had sepreated each of her curls and placed a blue bow in her hair.

"What d'ya think?" I asked when I had finished.

"You look pretty, Mommy." She smiled.

"Thank's, Baby." I smiled back. "I was thinking of cutting my hair. What do آپ think?"

She tilted her head. "What would it look like?"

I picked up the magazine and pointed out the picture to her.

"I think it's pretty." She looked up at me. "What would Daddy think?" she asked seriously.

"I'm not sure. I will ask him later." I greatly valued his opinion. "Are آپ ready?" I asked.

"Yup." she popped the 'p'.

"Let's go." I told her.

She hop down and walked out the door. I checked my dress one مزید time. It was a one sleeve/shoulder white Elie Sabb Alice had دیا me for Christmas.

I nodded to myself and made my way down stairs. I was expecting Edward to look good, but I was not expecting a god in a Gucci suit. See, I knew my designers.

His suit was dark with a very light blue button up and a silver striped tie. I smiled at him and Alicen tugged on his hands. His eyes broke away from mine and down to Alicen.

"Can we go now?" She asked.

"Let's go." He smiled at her.