Chapter Two
Edward
Rose told me what Angela had said when she came to stand beside me. Poor Bella, I'd left her to keep her safe and yet if I'd stayed maybe she and her Father would still be alive. I felt guilty, despite being thousands of miles away when the accident happened. The crazy thing was that I still loved her just as much as ever, I'd never stopped thinking about her and struggled to stay away while truly believing I was doing the right thing. I was guilty of more than breaking her heart, I'd broken our family apart too. By forcing them to leave without a goodbye I had burdened them with a guilt they could do nothing about. The only person I didn't feel sorry for was Jasper, he had supplied his own cross to carry. He'd shown me how fragile Bella was, how dangerous our world, and made my mind up for me. Alice lost her partner, not her mate or he couldn't have gone the way he did. While I stood deep in thought Rose followed the other mourners away from the grave. It was hard walking away from her again but this time my leaving wouldn't cause her pain, only me and I had an eternity to live with it, her legacy to me.
Rose
We didn't stay at the house very long, just long enough to speak to Renee and Phil. She had met Carlisle and Alice in Phoenix after James had almost killed Bella and they talked for a short while after he introduced us and gave her Alice's apologies. Back at the hotel in Seattle we sat silent, all wrapped in our own thoughts. I knew Emmett was grieving, he'd loved Bella as a little Sister and missed her terribly. While I'd never liked her much even I wouldn't have wished such an end on her. She deserved a life, the kind of life that had been torn from me, but now hers was over while mine went on, frozen, but still a life and better than the alternative. Emmett took my hand and I cuddled him listening to the conversation between Carlisle and Esme.
"Renee was too upset to say much but she did tell me Bella was finally getting her life back on track, she'd taken Edwards leaving very hard. Luckily she never asked why we had left without a word. I thought she was going to speak to him at the graveside but she got called away by Phil and I think she got involved with the Quileutes who were there. Harry and Billy were especially cut up and Jake never stopped crying, I knew he had a soft spot for Bella. Poor boy"
Esme's voice was soft but full of grief too.
"Do you think Edward will come to see us before he leaves again?"
"He said not, his flight leaves in a couple of hours and I know he was very upset"
"If he hadn't made us abandon Bella like he did maybe she'd still be alive"
Esme turned hearing the anger and bitterness in Emmett's words. She knew he had been furious when Carlisle backed Edwards request but he had never spoken to her like that before.
Carlisle
I knew Emmett was upset but that was no excuse for rudeness, especially to his mother, and I snapped at him,
"Emmett apologize to Esme now. There is never an excuse to be rude."
He shot to his feet,
"It's about time we stopped pussy footing around. Edward was wrong, you were wrong, and I was wrong for listening to him, and letting you persuade me I was doing the right thing. He destroyed this family with his stupid embargo and now I can never say sorry to Bella for the way I left. I can't live like this any longer Carlisle. You were wrong and you should have admitted it, but you and Esme are still so wrapped up in Edward the "Perfect Son" that you don't see it. Rose, I'm leaving, I can't stay with these hypocrites any longer."
"Emmett that's enough, you're just being abusive now. Emotions are running high and you need to cool down. Just remember that this mess started because of Jasper's actions, not Edwards. He was trying to keep Bella safe by leaving and he thought a clean break would be best all round."
"Well he was wrong and so are you. Jasper made a mistake true, but he has to live with that and the condemnation that came from the rest of us, especially you. You couldn't wait to tell him how much he had disgraced you and damaged the family. It's your fault he left, your fault Alice left because she couldn't stand being here without him. I used to look up to you Carlisle, you were my model for life but guess what, no more."
He turned and dropping Rose's hand stomped upstairs.
"Rose, talk to him, make him see he's being unreasonable dear. He'll cool off and apologize, things get said in the heat of the moment but he really shouldn't have been so rude to his Father."
Rose
I'd listened to all the hurt and anger, so long held back, pour out of my Husbands mouth and he was right. Everything he'd said was true, Carlisle wasn't the perfect man any longer, he'd shown his bias for Edward, over-riding our concerns and unhappiness with the decision that had been made."
"I'm sorry Esme but I agree with Emmett. We were wrong and you still won't admit it"
I ran up the stairs where Emmett was busy packing his stuff, as I walked in he looked at me with a mixture of anger and sheepishness,
"Sorry Rose I should have talked to you before I went off like that but they make me sick, so self opinionated. I can't stay here and I really hope you are prepared to come away with me"
I smiled and nodded,
"You were right Em, I just wish I'd said something earlier. Let me pack or we wont be able to wear any of the clothes"
He looked at the twisted heap of shirts he had been stuffing in a bag too small to hold them in his temper and grinned.
"Sure. I'll get the truck out ready."
Emmett
Carlisle was waiting for me in the garage.
"Emmett I was hoping maybe you'd calmed down a little. We don't want you to leave, we don't want to lose Rose or you. Please reconsider. I know you are upset, its been a very upsetting day for all of us Son"
"No. I didn't see you or Esme show much emotion at the service. I don't think either of you cared as much about Bella's death as you did in the fact that Darling Edward wasn't coming to visit before he took off again, back to his little Painfest"
"That's unfair Emmett. Esme is heartbroken about Bella but Edward is her son and she misses him in the same way she misses Alice."
"Aren't you missing someone Carlisle or doesn't Jasper warrant a mention? Not once have I heard his name since he left, it's as if he never existed. He hurt too."
Carlisle looked away but he never answered me and I knew he had washed his hands of Jasper as soon as he was out the door, after his private chat with him to try to convince Jasper to stay. Or did he? We only had his word for that conversation, after all he'd had it while the rest of us were out.