A/N: Hooray, chapter one of my first full story-style fic! This was conceived, written, and spellchecked between the hours of 1:30 and 4:10 in the morning, so it will be slightly vague and morphous. The story will get clearer, scout's honor. Constructive criticism is loved and appreciated- I'd really like to know how I can improve my writing. Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I am not Stephenie Meyer. Edward does not, nor will he ever, belong to me. –Sigh-

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I was going to smash something. Something that would provide the maximum amount of resistance to being smashed.

Perhaps Emmett.

Damn that over-dramatic puppy dog to the blasphemous bowels of hell! Perhaps I'll help him reach them quicker. He would certainly provide ample resistance to a smashing. I could let him heal, and then break his face again. And again. And again.

"Edward?" Esme's voice sliced through my less-than-pleasant reverie. The door opened and she joined me on the porch, the light breeze swirling her chocolate curls around her motherly face, which sparkled almost imperceptibly in the whitewashed ray of almost-sun that penetrated a thin cloud. "How are you, love?" Her tone was light and conversational but she eyed me speculatively.

"I'm fine, Mom, just came out for some air," I lied. The lie was feeble- the words were spoken convincingly enough, out of necessity, but I made no attempt to mirror my words in my face, which remained twisted with worry and fear. It was as though the house had grown ears. My fault… why must it always be my fault…

You can't take the blame for this, too, Edward. Esme thought at me sympathetically, reading my face. She'll be back soon She will be fine. Carlisle is with her. I winced when I registered the thought as being a lamentation as much as a reassurance- since she was changed, my mother had been separated from my father for extended periods of time only once in a blue moon, and she was not taking the estrangement any better than I was. Somebody had to monitor Bella's morphine levels, though. During the brief moments he resurfaced, Carlisle was in a frenzy. Apparently Bella burns it up as fast as he can pump it in. I grimaced again.

Edward, go to her if it causes you pain. That was what she wanted to prevent! I closed my eyes and gripped the porch railing. Bella had specifically requested that I not see her. I wasn't about to break an oath to her, not while she was…I resisted the overwhelming urge to reduce the flimsy wooden rail to an unidentifiable powder. Damn the rotten dog. Damn the rotten Volturi. Damn…

"Ah, Edward, Esme, there you are." A cool monotone echoed from the doorway. I couldn't keep my hands from clenching into fists on the rail and gouging a sizable chunk from the whitewashed wood. Splinters rained down onto the immaculate lawn and Jane giggled momentarily. I clenched my eyes shut as Esme spasmed beside me- an accidental victim of Jane's inadvertent mirth. I cursed myself internally, thankful, at least, that Jane was able to bring herself under control quickly. A soft shudder was the only indication Esme gave of her brief taste of agony.

"Jane, you've found them! Excellent- Edward?" Another maddeningly familiar voice sounded from behind me, friendly sympathy oozing from every velvet syllable. It made my hair stand on end, but I kept my fingers well away from the already-stressed banister, instead turning to meet Alec's burgundy gaze, contrasting strangely with his sister's uncharacteristically amber eyes- it took all my energy not to concentrate on exactly what Alec's eyes were burgundy with. His pale hand was raised in a pacifying gesture, palm towards me. When he spoke it was with the sort of resounding and unmistakable authenticity that can only be achieved by someone who is well versed in lying through their teeth. My eyes narrowed at the careful way he focused on each word he said- not a stray notion passed through his mind. "I would like to apologize sincerely for my… blunder in the forest the other day. I assure you, it was entirely unintentional, and I feel simply terrible for causing you so much trouble- and the day after your wedding! Awful, simply awful… if there's anything I can do…?" He trailed off and extended his hand to me, as if to shake mine, and averted his eyes in a poor mockery of shame. My wavering self-control fractured.

"You attacked and maimed my wife on the day of our wedding!" My voice was harsh and crazed. Esme grasped my shoulder in a gesture wavering indistinguishably between comfort and restraint, but I flinched away and she withdrew. "You could have killed her. You would have killed her! Your eyes are red with her blood!" I stormed. "And you attacked at the only moment when Alice was blind, when we could not possibly have saved her, and left us instead indebted once again to a slavering mutt we despise and who despises us in turn! You nearly killed my wife, nullified a seventy-year-old treaty, and started a war- you would do well to withdraw your hand before it parts company with your wrist!" I managed to take half a step forward before the rest of my tirade was slashed short. A searing pain tore down the length of my spine and I crumpled to the ground, suddenly a hundred years away.

A slow thunking rhythm was all that was left to me in the world, all that I heard. Each pulse was agony- it felt as though my blood was crystallizing, so cold it burned, dragging through my veins excruciatingly slowly, each drop a dagger that sliced at my failing heart, then cauterized the wounds with its blistering chill… I dimly registered that the air moving reluctantly through my nostrils no longer smelled of the sour hospital, rather it was sickly sweet- the scent of death in the first stages of decay. The morgue. I must be in the morgue. Have I died? Mother promised me I wouldn't die, she promised that Doctor Cullen would save me somehow… but Doctor Cullen must have died, too, then, I could be sure I saw him…

"Jane! Stop that immediately!" I was dragged back to the surface of reality, gasping for unnecessary oxygen that was strangely comforting all the same. Aro was gliding fluidly across the lawn, accompanied by Felix and Caius, both looking quite disgruntled, their topaz eyes looking out of place in their pale faces. I looked up to see the last vestiges of a sneering, spiteful grin slide from Jane's cherubic face.

"I apologize, Master. I assure you, I was not unprovoked." Her face was once again impassive, but she took Alec's hand possessively. She offered her other hand for Aro to touch, but he waved her off.

"Poor Edward has been through a terrible ordeal in the past few days- a portion of lee-way must be granted." He nodded in my direction before beckoning to Jane and Alec. "You interrupted my hunt- I dare say you two will be thirsty as well. These animals aren't nearly as filling... although what novelty! Imagine, hunting deer, squirrels... Come, let us give Mr. Cullen a bit of much-needed privacy." He swept back across the lawn, his entourage following grimly, dark cloaks billowing. At the forest's edge he leveled a wistful glance back in my direction- recalling the similar cloak he'd seen fastened about my neck in Volterra- and sighed before turning into the trees. I am glad we didn't grant your request, my dear boy. I'll have you yet, he thought in my direction as he faded out of sight. I was silent as Esme bent down and enveloped me in a maternal hug.