Chapter One – Party

Bella POV

After Alice had me dressed up like an antique doll with perfect hair, perfect make up, and perfect dress that went well with my eyes since that was insanely important, I had to face the crowd. Alice had already pranced her way downstairs, and when I appeared in the stairwell, I was greeted by the warm smiling faces of the Cullens—my family.

Edward, my wonderful Edward, met my eyes, his own shining with love and affection. I looked over them all as I descended, my eyes lingering on Carlisle. He was watching me with an admiring expression. I felt horrible after everything I'd done. If it weren't for me, Esme would still me alive. He met my gaze and smiled crookedly a little, but I quickly looked away. From the corner of my eye, I saw his face fall.

I went to Edward and he pulled me into his arms. "Show me the love," Alice giggled and snapped a picture of us. Edward kissed my head softly and I just held him close.

"Present time!" Alice squealed after a moment. "Come on Bella! Open Emmett's first!"

I went over reluctantly and took a large box from Alice skeptically, unsure as to how much it weighed. When Alice let go though, I realized that the box was hollow. I shook it a few times, but there was nothing in it. I shot a confused glance at Emmett and he was smiling like a Cheshire cat. "Already installed it in your truck," he announced proudly. "I figured that old pile of junk could use a decent radio system."

Shooting him a playful glare, I set the box down on the floor. "Don't hate the truck," I said.

That earned a few chuckles from the surrounding vampires and Alice thrust another gift into my hands. "This one's from Rosalie," she announced, jittering like she had drunken a bottle of caffeine this morning even though she was a vampire.

I opened it to reveal at a velvet box. Curiously, I opened it and saw a beautiful necklace with a small golden B on the end. I looked up at her and smiled. "Thank you. It's beautiful."

"Alice picked it out," the insanely beautiful blond vampire replied.

Nodding grimly, I put it on the table, and Alice didn't leave my hands empty for another second. "This is from Carlisle." I looked up at the blond male vampire who stood in the back watching me with affectionate eyes and a small smile. I smiled back and looked down at the envelope. I started to open it, but, being accident prone as always, sliced open my finger.

"Ouch," I exclaimed and watched as the crimson red liquid trickled from my finger. "Paper cut."

The atmosphere of the room chance. Everyone but me stiffened and I saw Jasper staring at me with hungry black eyes. "No!" Edward growled and jumped in front of me just as Jasper lunged. Edward shoved me backwards and into a wooden table that was positioned against the wall. I hit a vase of flowers and the wall. The vase shattered sending glass everywhere, especially into my right arm. The impact of hitting the wall knocked the breath out of me and I fell to the floor, my hands and knees slamming down onto the glass causing more and more to embed in my fragile human skin.

By this time, Carlisle and Emmett had Jasper secure and were holding him while Alice was trying to calm him down. "Jazz, shh, shh. It's just a little…" she trailed off as the scent of more blood hit her nose—my blood. They all turned to look at me. My clutched my sliced arm with my bleeding hand. My other hand was bleeding as well. The glass had ripped my panty hose and had cut the skin on both of my knees. "Blood," Alice finally whispered, her own eyes turning black.

Carlisle darted to my side in a blur and immediately applied pressure to my arm. "Get Jasper out of here," he instructed, no long looking at his family but at my wounds. The room cleared out as the vampires went outside, away from the stench of blood, until only Edward, Carlisle and I remained.

The blond vampire looked over his shoulder at his son. Edward was staring at the two of us on the floor with an agonized expression. I wanted to reach out and comfort him, but I knew better than that. I was his singer and he still wanted my blood. "Edward…" Carlisle began. "Perhaps you should go outside and talk to Jasper. I'm sure that he is feeling terrible about what just happened, and you're the only one that will be able to calm him down."

Edward didn't acknowledge that he heard Carlisle, but just turned and left the room. When he was gone, Carlisle looked at me worriedly. "Can you stand?"

I nodded and moved my legs so I was crouching. "I think so. He helped me to my feet and let me rest against his shoulder for support. My knees stung with pain, so did my hands. He allowed me to limp to the stairs so we could go up to his office, but then he got impatient.

"Let me carry you," he said more than asked. I looked over at him and nodded. Carlisle let a small smile escape and swept me off my feet gently, and then carried me bridal-style up the stairs to his office.

Carlisle POV

Bella sat on a table, her arm extended. I moved quickly and fluently as I stitched up her wounds. Bella was staring at the ground while I worked. It was easier for me while she wasn't looking. "I never wanted that party," she said finally.

I smiled. "It's not your fault. Jasper hasn't been away from human blood as long as the rest of us," I answered.

"How do you do it?" she asked finally.

I smiled once more and continued to thread the stitch through her arm. "Years and years of practice."

"And you didn't even choose it… That must've been really hard," she whispered. While I sewed up her wound, I was highly aware that he hand was resting against my side. I wanted to shiver.

I let out a small sigh and kept my eyes focused on the stitching. "Like everything else in life, I just had to decide what to do with what I was given," I told her with a small smile.

She looked up at my face, but I refused to meet her eyes. I was uncomfortable with the closeness, well no, I wasn't uncomfortable. I loved being so close to her, but I knew that I wouldn't be able to control myself for much longer. The heat of her skin and the melodic sound of her voice were already making me uneasy. Edward would kill me if…

"Did you ever think about… you know, doing it the easy way?" she asked, keeping her eyes on my face.

"No," I said with another smile. Her words made me smile. They seemed so honest and genuine. It was like she cared about what I had to say. I had done the same once for Esme when she was alone and insecure… Esme… "I knew what I wanted to be. I wanted to help people, it brings me happiness, even if I am damned regardless," I added finally looking in her eyes.

I then looked back to my work, but I could see that her face changed, looking almost concerned. "Damned? You mean like… like hell?" she asked letting out a tiny, hollow laugh.

Forcing myself to look back up with her, I saw how close our faces were; how close our bodies were. She looked back into my eyes, shaking her head. "Carlisle… Carlisle you couldn't be damned. You couldn't. It's impossible."

I forced a small smile. "Thank you, Bella. You've always been… very gracious about us."

"It's true," she insisted, shifting closer to me. "Carlisle you're too kind and beautiful, and perfect to be damned."

When I looked back up at her I felt embarrassed. "I am not perfect, Bella."

"Yes you are," she insisted again and moved even closer. "Yes you are," she whispered almost in my face.

My entire body tensed. I had finished her stitches but I didn't want to move away from her. I took her chin in my hand as if it were just a friendly, almost fatherly gesture, but then leaned toward her. To my surprise, she met me halfway and pressed her warm lips to mine.

A moment later, Bella locked her arms around my neck and shifted closer. She ran one hand through my hair making me shiver. I moved my hands away from her face and locked them around her waist, pulling her closer until our bodies touched. Bella locked her legs around my waist and I felt myself harden. I moaned as my excited manhood brushed against her upper thigh. Bella's entire body shivered and she kissed me rougher.

The door flew open and I set Bella down with vampire speed. Edward stood in the doorway seething with rage. Bella gasped and tried to hide behind me seeing her boyfriend's rage. "YOU!" he roared and lunged toward me.

I stood there, knowing I deserved it. He knocked me backwards into my bookcase, smashing the shelves and destroying one hell of a book collection. When I sat up, Edward was standing over me, snarling. He kicked me hard in the chest, making me wince. I deserved that.

"Edward!" Bella's voice gasped from the other side of the room.

He immediately darted to her side. "Are you okay, sweetheart? Did he hurt you?" he growled, returning his smoldering gaze to me.

"No… No, he… Don't hurt him," she begged, staring at me with wide terrified eyes.

I watched her. I thought about how she insisted that I was good when I just proved my point my kissing her. I wasn't good. But… but she kissed me back. I felt elated at that.

"No!" Edward growled, reading my thoughts. He grabbed Bella's shoulders and jerked her told him. "Tell me you didn't kiss him back! Tell me that you didn't! Tell me that he's imagining it! Tell me! I'll believe you!"

Bella stared at him bewildered and then looked down guiltily. He growled and I saw the muscles in in his hands move as they tightened their grip on her shoulders. "Ah!" Bella gasped. "Edward… Edward stop it, you're hurting me."

I jumped to my feet and darted across the room. I shoved my son back, away from her and into the door. The force of the impact knocked my door off its hinges. Emmett and Alice appeared in the doorway a moment later.

Emmett was laughing as usual. "Well Bella I guess you're a DILF now."

"A what?" I demanded keeping my eyes on Edward.

"Well, to Carlisle you are," Emmett said, ignoring my question.

"What is that?" Bella asked. I felt her tiny warm hands press up against my back. I resisted the urge to smile.

"Daughter I'd like to fu—"

"Emmett!" Edward and I both said at the same time, glaring at him.

"Well it's true Doc," Emmett said looking at me, then gave me a thumbs up. "Way to go!"

"Shut up, Emmett!" Edward snarled, pulling himself to his feet. "Bella, let's go. I'm taking you home," he said looking at Bella who cowered behind my back.

I felt Bella trembling. "I'll do it," I offered quietly, glancing over my shoulder at her.

"Stay out of this, Carlisle! You've caused enough trouble already!" he snapped at me, his topaz eyes blazing with fury. "Bella! Let's go!"

I kept my eyes on the floor as Bella moved away from me and went over to Edward. He snatched her hand like it belonged to him and stalked off. Bella followed him to the doorway. She glanced back at me once; her gaze troubled, but then turned around as Edward led her away.

Bella POV

Edward took me home in my truck. We hadn't talked the entire ride over. When he pulled into my driveway, he turned off the ignition and sat there, waiting for me to get out. I didn't want to leave with these hard feelings still between us. "I feel like a monster," I told him finally.

He didn't take his eyes away from the steering wheel. "Did you kiss him back?" he asked again, his voice eerily calm.

I felt my vision blur with tears. "Yes…" I admitted, my voice coming out half-strangled. "Edward, I didn't mean it! I didn't! I… He… I don't know what came over me. I just… And then… Oh, Edward!" I exclaimed feeling the tears fall. "Can you ever forgive me?"

Edward looked over at me. I saw the uncertainty in his eyes. "Bella… maybe you should go."

I let out a tortured whimper. "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…" I gasped.

"It's… just… I'll see you tomorrow," he said and got out without waiting for me. I didn't see him leave, but when I got out, he was gone.

A/N: Sorry it's kind of short and there are a lot of POV changes. Hope you don't mind. Thanks for reading and please review! :D