Chapter Thirteen
Guidance
Grace Cullen-Swan

"Bella!" I cheered the moment I saw her face as she and Edward exited the planes terminal. "Oh, I missed you sweet girl!" I laughed, hugging her tightly in relief.

"I missed you too." She laughed, and the sound was enough to wipe away every moment of worry I had experienced over the weekend.

"What happened over the weekend?" Edward asked me nervously as I hugged him.

"We'll tell you both when we get out to the car." Charlie ushered us toward the exit as soon he had grabbed Bella's bag from the baggage claim.

Every flash of red hair on the way out to the car had me on edge as I made sure Bella stayed safe between Edward and I. I couldn't help but be overly cautious with the enthusiasm Victoria has shown lately regarding her targeting my daughters life.

"I'm sorry, but we didn't feel comfortable having you both wait on a connecting flight to Port Angeles." I told them the minuet we were all safe in the car. "We had a lot of trouble from Victoria while you were away."

"What happened?" Bella asked worriedly.

"Alice saw her in the woods surrounding the Cullen house. We went to try to catch her, and I got close, but she threw me down and Emmett stayed with me and so she escaped through the reservation. A short while later, she attacked and tortured a hiker not far from the school." I explained gently.

"Oh my God." Bella sighed.

"We're ruling it a bear attack, thanks to some intervention from Carlisle and Grace, and so there's no need to worry about the Volturi thinking anythings suspicious just yet." Charlie attempted to calm her down.

"So that just leaves Victoria to worry about." Edward nodded.

"Yeah, about that, you're not going to like the plan we've got in place Bells." Charlie sighed.

"What's the plan?" She asked innocently.

"No, you're not dumping me on the shapeshifters to be babysat while Edward's perfectly able to watch after me!" Bella refused as we passed the La Push boundary line.

"Edward has to hunt after watching you all week at school, the rest of the Cullen's have to hunt, they can't watch you all of the time. Besides, I didn't think you would like that." I frowned over at her in the passenger seat.

"What about Esme?" She asked quickly. "You said Esme was at the house today."

"She's watching Elizabeth. With as fussy as she's been lately, that's enough of a handful in and of itself." I grumbled. "She's brilliant, but her gift isn't as developed as she is, and so she's frustrated. And of course she inherited Edward's stubborn streak." I shook my head.

"Then what about you? I can just stay with you, right?" She practically begged.

"I'm going to stay about a hundred yards over your fathers head in the trees while he leads a search for the bear that keeps attacking people." I spoke sarcastically. "Bella, has something happened that's made you so worked up about the reservation? I thought you and Jacob worked past the whole 'he threatened to kill you' thing."

"We have, it's just...Jacob has a crush on me that I didn't realize I was supporting during my depression. And now that Edward's back Jake's just mad that I'm not choosing him over Edward. When I was there Tuesday night, he just talked about how much better he is for me than Edward. He just doesn't understand that it's not really a choice." Bella sighed.

"It's always a choice." I assured her. "Yes, your father is my mate and if anything ever happened to him I couldn't live with myself, but, he's still human and he's still a man. In the beginning of our relationship, when I thought about leaving him for the sake of protecting him so often, I chose actively to stay. It's a choice to stick it out and love someone the same way its a choice to let them go when you need to protect them."

"That's what Edward thought he was doing with me." She nodded.

"Yes, we just made two very different choices." I agreed. "So, I guess what I'm trying to say here is don't feel like you have to do anything you're uncomfortable with. You don't have to stay with Edward if you don't feel it's what's best for you."

"It's best for me." She assured me.

"Well, then I suppose I should remind you that not doing anything you're uncomfortable with applies to all aspect of your relationship. You don't have to get married if you don't want to."

"Who told you about that?!" She cut me off.

"Carlisle and Esme, who else?" I laughed.

"I didn't think you guys were really talking again."

"Bella, no amount of hurt and abandonment will ever be enough to make me stop talking to my brother. I have loved him since our creation and I will love him long after this world comes to an end. Yours, your father's, and Elizabeth's safety is all on the line here. Of course Carlisle and Esme are going to tell me things in order to help keep you safe, especially when you need help keeping you safe from yourself." I giggled.

"Thanks mom." She smiled sweetly at me. "It really makes me feel better to know I'll always have you to turn to."

"Forever." I swore to her. "So, you never did get to tell me about your trip to see your mom. How was it?" I asked quickly, seeing that we were nearing Billy's house.

"Fine." She shrugged. "She tried way too hard to be perfect and drove Edward crazy with all of her thoughts about dad, you, and Elizabeth."

"Oh really?" I sighed.

"Yeah, it was kind of nice to sit and talk like everything was normal and boring again though. I think a part of me is really going to miss her when the time comes to say goodbye." She smiled sadly at me.

"I'm so sorry, sweet girl." I frowned, hating to see her so upset.

"It's okay. I know I'm going to have you and my dad there for me, and so that keeps me from feeling too sad about it." She perked up a little. "There's Jake." She sighed, seeing him open the front door.

"Maybe you should just try to show him that it's not a choice for you anymore, if you really feel like Edward is the one." I told her. "At the very least, don't neglect him and let a good friendship waste away. You might regret that someday."

"Right again." Bella laughed, leaning over to hug me tightly. "Take care of dad for me."

"Yes ma'am." I gave her a playful salute as she climbed out of the car.

After a long day of stalking after my husband through the dangerous dense woods of Forks, I was more than happy to follow him to bed the moment we got home. Things were just getting good when the sound of squealing tires in the gravel driveway outside tore Charlie and I's attention away from each other.

"What was that?" He asked me worriedly, quickly throwing on a pair of jeans and crossing to the window.

"It was probably just someones tires hitting the road wrong." I cooed. "Come back to bed. Bella will be home soon and I'm not done with you yet." I teased him.

"Jacob's car is here, Edward's must've just pulled in." He frowned, observing whatever was happening outside.

"Edward!" Bella yelled out, sounding worried.

"If you ever touch her against her will again-" Edward growled, I assumed at Jacob.

"They're going to fight." Charlie nodded, easily slipping into officer mode, before quickly grabbing a hoodie and rushing downstairs.

I threw on some clothes before crossing to the window to see what was going on between the boys.

"Don't do this here!" Bella begged as Jacob and Edward got menacingly close to one another.

"She's not sure what she wants!" Jacob yelled back at Edward.

"Don't do this!" Bella tried again to push them apart.

"Then wait for her to say the words!" Edward laughed in Jacobs face.

"Fine!" She will!" Jacob growled at him, throwing his hand up to throw a punch.

"Easy!" Charlie called out from the steps, effectively stopping Jacob from daring to take a hit. "Easy guys, easy, let's take it down a notch. What's going on?" He stepped between the boys, and I couldn't help but be impressed that he was so calm stepping between a vampire fighting with a shapeshifter

"I kissed Bella." Jacob revealed.

In an instant, I ran down the stairs and outside to Charlie's side, so fast in fact that I managed to scare Charlie, Bella, and Jacob as I suddenly appeared before their eyes.

"What?" I growled at Jacob and Charlie quickly put a steadying arm around my shoulders to calm me down.

"She broke her hand," Jacob continued, looking afraid of me as I started worrying over Bella's injury "punching my face" he concluded.

"That's my girl." I smirked, praising Bella, and she grinned proudly back at me.

"Edward, take Grace and Bella to the Cullen house and ask Carlisle to check Bella's hand." Charlie spoke through his teeth. "Jacob and I are going to have a good long talk." He muttered angrily.

"Get in the car." I urged Bella and Edward, knowing just how powerful Charlie's anger can be.

"He's not going to shoot him or anything, is he?" Bella worried as we all got settled into the Volvo. "Actually, no, I'm so mad right now that I don't care either way." She shook her head.

"It takes a lot for your dad to get upset, and even more for him to be angry, so I really don't know what he's capable of right now." I disclosed. "I'm just glad he seems as angry as I am about this. For Jacob to force himself on you without your permission is inexcusable and dangerous."

"Couldn't agree more, mother." Edward grinned devilishly at me in the rear view mirror as we neared the house.

"What's happened?" Carlisle asked, meeting us all at the door.

"Bella's hand might be broken, I can't tell I'm so angry." I shook my head, giving him a tight hug to try to calm myself down.

"Angry? What for?" He asked nervously, showing us all inside to the kitchen so he could get some supplies.

"Jacob decided to force a kiss on Bella." I huffed as Carlisle examined Bella's hand and wrist.

"Oh." He frowned. "So, is it safe to assume that Charlie needs help burying a body and covering up the murder?" He asked me seriously.

"I don't think my dad could ever commit murder." Bella shook her head, looks of pain crossing her face as Carlisle twisted her wrist in his exam.

"With the way he cares so much about you and your autonomy, I really believe he could." Edward chuckled darkly.

"It's just a simple sprain, this should heal fairly quickly." Carlisle concluded as he began to wrap Bella's wrist tightly before putting a brace on it. "You can take the brace and wrap off for graduation, but you really should put it back on after the party tomorrow night."

"Trying to walk and chew gum at the same time again, Bella?" Emmett turned the corner with a teasing grin on his face, kissing my cheek and ruffling Edwards hair before going over to pick on Bella.

"I punched a werewolf in the face." Bella smiled proudly as Rosalie rounded the corner and came to a stop beside me.

"Badass!" Emmett declared, earning a warning glare from me. "You're gonna be one tough little newborn." He shook her shoulders excitedly.

"Tough enough to take you on." Bella quipped back at him, her boldness impressing me.

Rosalie huffed before stomping her way outside to the patio.

"Don't let her bother you, lil' sis." Emmett offered Bella a sweet smile.

"I'm going to go talk to her." Bella nodded, sliding off of the kitchen counter and going outside to join Rose.

"She's safe, right?" I asked my boys.

"Rose won't hurt her." Emmett spoke soundly. "May scare her a bit, but won't hurt her."

"Rosalie's actually in one of her softer moods." Edward soothed me, a look of surprise on his face.

"So sister, while I have you here, what are the graduation plans for tomorrow?" Carlisle asked me.

"The same as always." I told him. "I'll just bring Bella over in the morning to get ready with Alice, then graduation as usual. We'll all get ready and head to the school together, Charlie has been asked to give the opening address so we'll need to get there early to get good seats."

"Sounds like a plan." Esme agreed, coming around the corner with Elizabeth in her arms.

"Hello love." I cooed as Esme handed her over to me. "Did you just wake up?" I smiled back at the sweet smile she was giving me.

"She wanted you the moment she woke up and heard you talking in here." Esme laughed. "Can't say I blame her." She gave me a soft hug. "Another graduation tomorrow." She shook her head.

"They never stop." I laughed. "Although, Bella's first is something to celebrate. Especially since I didn't think she would live past December."

"A cause for celebration, truly." Carlisle nodded, shaking Elizabeth's hand as she reached out to him. "Yes, I quite agree." He nodded at her, causing her to smile widely.

"What did she say?" Esme asked him.

"She said she's glad Honey was smart and helped Bella so she could be born and be able to meet us all. She's also glad she gets to keep Bella." Carlisle relayed.

"Honey?" I questioned, "who's Honey?"

"You." He laughed at me. "That's what she's decided to call you, apparently."

"Honey?" I smiled at Elizabeth, loving the endearment "Why did you decide on that?"

She touched my cheek and Charlie's voice echoed in my head calling me Honey over and over again.

"Oh!" I laughed. "Charlie's favorite pet name for me is yours too now, hmm?" I teased her, peppering her face in kisses.

"How sweet." Esme melted as Bella came back inside. 

"Everything okay?" Edward asked her, putting an arm around her and kissing her head.

"Yeah." Bella nodded. "What's sweet?" She asked Esme.

"Elizabeth has decided to call Grace 'Honey'." She smiled at Bella.

"That's cute, that's what dad calls you all of the time." Bella offered me a smile. "Good pick, kid." Bella poked at Elizabeth, earning a delighted laugh from her.

"We should get home." I told the room. "I need to go make sure there's not a bloodbath to clean up before tomorrow." I chuckled.

"I'll drive you all home." Edward offered and I passed Elizabeth to him so he could carry her out to the car while Bella and I trailed behind.

"You know, seeing them together really makes me wish I had tried harder to be a good mom." Bella told me quietly as we paused in the doorway, observing Edward talking with Elizabeth.

"Bella, you can still be a good mom." I told her softly, surprised by the sudden admission.

I knew she had been getting better about being around Elizabeth, but I didn't think she was interested in being more active in her life.

"It's too late for that." Bella shook her head. "You're her mom, you've gone above and beyond when I was too messed up to even take care of myself properly, and so you deserve that title."

"That doesn't mean you can't still love and care for her like her mother. You're the one that fought hard enough to carry and deliver her, it's never too late to be apart of her life." I promised Bella.

"Thanks mom." She nodded, a thoughtful look on her face as we neared the car.

After getting us home and wishing us all goodnight, Edward went back to the Cullen House, leaving us three girls to go inside and see about Charlie.

He was sitting in the living room, calmly sipping a beer while he watched a random sports game, and I put Elizabeth into his lap before joining him on the couch.

"You okay, Bells?" He asked, jaw clenching at the sight of her bandaged hand.

"It's just a little sprain. Carlisle said it will heal fast." Bella nodded. "How did it go with Jacob?"

"Fine." He nodded. "I think I made it very clear that the next time he decides to even look at you without your consent I will be putting a bullet in his back, no questions asked." He promised.

"Thanks dad, I really appreciate you sticking up for me like that." Bella smiled at him.

"Of course." He nodded. "You're always going to be my baby, and so I'm always going to fight for you." He promised her. "And I dare someone to mess with you." He teased Elizabeth. "By the time you're old enough, I'm gonna be a terrifying vampire, and you'll have a whole family of vampires protecting you. I dare some stupid boy to try to break your heart."

"I can't even think about that." Bella shook her head. "I don't ever want to see her hurt by anything, especially not someone she cares about."

"Now you know how we feel about you." I teased Bella. "You should both get to bed, we have a long day tomorrow."

"Graduation." Charlie shook his head. "Where did the time go?" He chuckled.

"Plenty of time left." I reminded the both of them. "Soon, we're all going to be safe and happy forever, you'll see." I smiled, urging them both up to bed.