Just the Way You Are

Eve stared at the large mansion like house she once knew as home before leaving for La Push. It was time to once again call this place as such.

Anthony helped Eve get her luggage from the back and she carried it up the brick pathway and to the front door. She opened the door and stepped inside, her suitcases following after her. She looked around and wondered where her dad and step-mom were.

As if Anthony read her mind, he turned to her with a small smile. "Mr. Saunders is in his study and Mrs. Saunders is at a meeting down at the office building."

"Thank you, Anthony."

"Would you like for me to take your things to your room?"

"Yes please, Anthony! Thanks!" Eve called as she darted off towards her dad's study.

When she entered the study room, she saw her dad looking the same as always as he sat behind his desk, typing away on his laptop. She smiled at the sight and Eve rushed over to him. As he heard her footsteps he looked up, smiling at his daughter when he saw her, soon it faltered and he engulfed her in a tight hug.

"Oh, Eve... I've missed you, honey." He cooed in her ear.

"I've missed you, too, dad."

"And Eve... I'm sorry about Darl... I'm sorry about mom. Honestly... I miss her a lot, too. I wish that I could've gotten to ask her for her forgiveness for all the wrong that I've done her."

Eve felt tears prick her eyes and she nuzzled her face into his chest to hide them. "I miss her so much, dad...!" She sobbed. "I hated leaving her at the hospital! I felt so horrible!"

He shushed her softly in an attempt to soothe her somehow. "I know honey, I know. It's just another part of life, unfortunately." He said, and then he looked over at the clock that hung on the wall. "Joanne should be here any—"

"Evan...!"

"There she is." He smiled, looking down at Eve. Footsteps could be heard approaching the room and then the blond haired woman entered with a smile.

"Eve, you're here!" She exclaimed, making her way over and engulfing her step-child in a hug. "I've missed you so much. And... I'm truly sorry about your mom. And I know that I will never amount to her, and that I will never be your true mom, but... I will always be here for you to rely on."

"Thank you, Joanne... I appreciate it." Eve replied with a grateful smile as she wiped a few tears away.

"Of course." Joanne helped Eve clear away the few tears and then turned to her husband, planting a kiss on his cheek and hugging him as well. "Well, it's time for dinner, so why don't we all go to the table?"

"Sounds good." Evan agreed.

Eve simply gave a nod of the head before she trailed behind the couple towards the dining room. Eve helped set the table and after they were finished, they sat down to eat. It was quiet for the most part. Evan and Joanne doing most of the talking as they talked about how work had been going.

"So how was the business meeting, Joanne?" Evan asked.

"Oh it went great!" She said enthusiastically, taking a drink from her glass. "Eve, today I went to a meeting and I have great news. I've managed to get you into The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show!"

Eve coughed on her water and looked up at Joanne in shock. "Really...?!" She gasped.

"Really!' Joanne nodded.

"What about Dylan, is she going to be in it, too?"

"I asked her, and she said no for some odd reason. I was surprised. She's been dreaming of an opportunity like this for some time now, but she said... there was something more important than the show back in that small town."

"Oh..." Eve sighed, and she knew why Dylan had said no. She didn't want to leave Embry behind.

"Eve, there's something I've been wanting to tell you since you got back." Her dad sighed, wiping his mouth with his napkin before making eye contact with his daughter.

"What is it?"

"While your mother was here with Joanne and I for her surgery, she and I met with my lawyers. We made her will and got it finalized. Also, she told me that she would like to be buried in La Push, the ceremony will be held in two days time. People have already been given the information and many have already made their RSVPs."

It was silent and Eve nodded. "Alright..." She mumbled, and got up from her seat. "I'm going up to my room to start unpacking and then go to bed. It's been a long day. Goodnight."

Eve's parents said goodnight back and began to clean the table as Eve ascended the staircase. She walked down the familiar hallway and into the room she used to inhabit. It was exactly the same as she left it, and in a way, it was comforting. She saw that Anthony had left her suitcases on her bed and she made a mental note to thank him for doing so.

She walked over to the luggage and then began to unpack. Eve put all her clothes back where they had once resided and things looked better than they had when she had left for La Push all those months ago. Once Eve was finished, she flopped onto her bed and stared at her ceiling.

She didn't know what was going to happen when she went back to La Push for the funeral. Would she have a breakdown or would she act as if she didn't care around the people she had left behind without even a goodbye...?

Her thoughts went to Jacob and she wondered what he was doing right now. Was he off running more errands, hanging out with the guys and her sister at Emily's and Sam's, or could he possibly be thinking about her, too? She sighed sadly and turned on her side, eyeing the cell phone that rested upon the nightstand with hopefulness that it would start buzzing and ringing with life with a call from Jacob.

Thinking about him was emotionally painful, but she couldn't help herself...

"What the hell..." She muttered, and her arm extended out and her hand snatched up the phone.

She dialed his cell phone first, and with no luck, tried his house phone next. She sighed with relief when it was answered, but was a bit sad to hear Billy's voice instead of Jacob's.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Billy, it's Evangeline."

"Oh, uh, hello, Eve." He sighed out, almost reluctant to continue the call. "What can I do for you?"

"Is Jacob there at all?"

Billy sighed into the receiver and furrowed his eyebrow. "I'm sorry, Eve, he isn't here at the moment." He told her. He, himself, began to wonder where his son could be. He just hoped that another broken relationship hadn't sent him over the edge. He prayed that he would see his son soon, and not have to worry about him for such a long time like he had to almost a year ago when Bella Swan had rejected him for the vampire. "I'll have him call you when I see him. Goodbye, Eve, take care."

Eve stared at the phone in disbelief and she felt guilty for turning away at the airport. Why did she have to do something so stupid...? Why did she hope that he would chase after her if she had left...?

Why did she feel like she had just made the biggest mistake of her life...?