My Heart Beats For You // Alice Cullen

22. The Homecoming

I pull my case behind me as I slowly make my way through the airport, my heels clicking loudly as I walk. My eyes scan the people around me and I find myself smiling a little; I flew here alone and I'm in one piece? Success. I grab my phone from my pocket just as I step outside.

"There she is!" I voice shrieks and I look over, gasping.

"Regina, look how grown up you've gotten!" I say as I catch her in a big hug kneeling down.

Her arms cling to me tightly as she cries happily. "I missed you Bailey! Are you all better?"

I pull her away and wipe her cheeks with my thumbs. "Yes pumpkin, I am so much better. Here." She holds her wrist up and Regina tries to fit her fingers around it; mom just about cries when she can't. I did it - just like I promised her. I'm a healthy weight, I have been for almost 5 months. I haven't drank or smoked or taken any drugs in 367 days, not even an aspirin or anything.

I hug Emmy and dad and mom before I turn to Ronnie. "So where's my nephew?"

He smiles and brings the bundle of blankets over to me. "Tommy, meet your aunt Bailey. Call her Bails coz she'll bail you out of anything."

I laugh as the others do, holding the 3 week old worm in my arms. He's cute I guess, babies aren't really my thing. "Hello handsome. You got your daddy's eyes, poor thing." I coo.

"C'mon, we gotta go get ready!" Mom squeals. "Your dress came yesterday... do we need to go to the tailors?" She stops for a moment.

I sigh. "I've been 123 pounds for 5 months now. I'm okay." I promise her as I hand Lucy the baby. Mom squeezes my hand and hugs me tight before we all climb in the cars and head back home.

I take slow breaths as we head back into Forks; the place that started and ended it all. I haven't asked about the Cullens. Or been told about them. They're like voldemort - do not speak their names. I gaze at the trees with a smile; now I have missed the nature in this town.

As we pull up I see someone with blue hair waiting on the porch steps, their leg tapping restlessly. I quietly climb out. "If you do that anymore your leg will snap." I tease.

Parker scrambles up and runs over, catching me in a tight hug as I squeal and cling to him. "You're home!"

"I am. What's with the hair?" I giggle and hold a lock of blue.

"I could ask the same." He grins as he holds a lock of my short deep red hair.

"Emerald, shall we dye your hair green and Regina's purple? We could make a packet of jolly ranchers." Dad smirks.

I gasp and shove him as he laughs. I missed this - I missed them - but I needed to be away; treatment was hard, tiring, long. I almost got kicked off the programme in the first 3 weeks but I hit rock bottom when I had to have a feeding tube. It was the thing that changed it all; not having a say in when or what I eat put everything into perspective and I took back control.

"Parker, where's your suit!?" Mom calls frantically.

"In the stair closet, momma." He calls rolling his eyes. I love that he calls my mom that.

"You guys have bought the MET gala to Forks." I tease. "Happy 20th anniversary guys." I kiss both their cheeks.

Mom smiles and bounces with joy. "I can't wait! Go shower, now." She orders me.

I laugh and drag my case upstairs as Parker follows. He lounges on my bed as I take a quick shower, still not liking the bathroom. As I walk in Parker stares at me. "You didn't turn straight did you? Otherwise this is awkward." I tease as I happily change and dry off in front of him.