Bella, who had heard the snarl, had gotten up and remembered him describing Jasper in a fight. Her mind seeing Jasper and him fighting, she went toward the fight.

Charles hadn't turned when the fight began, but now, hearing her approach, he watched her. The newborn girl bit Jesus's arm, and he furiously sank his teeth into her neck, about to sever it from her shoulders. She kicked him across the room.

"Jasper!" Bella yelled. "Jasper, what are you doing? Stop it. Alice, stop him." As she spoke, she stumbled near to the fight. Her hand was sliding on the table to keep balance, and she knocked over one of the vases. It broke in her hand when she tried to catch it, blood rolling down her hand. She stumbled even closer to the fight, still dazed.

Most hadn't trusted themselves to breathe, as they hadn't hunted for almost two weeks. But the human was one of the last things on the newborns' minds, and so as soon as her scent flared up, it caught their attention, and they swiftly turned to face her. Charles instantly moved in front of her, and Duncan and Janet joined him, being careful not to look at her.

Bella still saw only the Cullens. She saw Edward and Jasper fighting. Charles, Duncan, and Janet were just more of the Cullens.

"Alice, Carlisle, stop them. Emmett, can't you do something?" She was bleeding heavily. She'd started to cry again. "Edward!" she yelled.

And a stab of pain shot through her so hard, she collapsed, screaming as if she had been bitten again.

Levi joined the group, taking Charles's place and helping to swiftly and violently tear the two newborns apart.

Charles turned to face her. The sight of the blood running from the wound on her hand, staining the white carpet, was nearly overwhelming; it was hard not to draw an instant comparison between her and just another fallen animal on the hunt.

He looked away and blinked several times, then quickly removed his sweater and wrapped part of it around her hand while trying not to get any of it on his. He applied pressure, trying to stem the flow.

Bella looked up at him. There was a recognition in her eyes. "Carlisle." She paused, knowing that the face did not match the name. "I'm sorry, Charles. I. . .didn't mean. . ."

She screamed again as she saw Edward and the Cullens ripping at James. Edward and James fighting. Edward leaning over the edge of a hospital bed. Edward leaving her forever.

He instantly let up on the pressure. "Milady, are you alright? Did I hurt you?"

"NO!" she gasped over her sobs. Memories overpowered her. She could not talk at the moment. She hoped that she could apologize more later.

"What is it, then?"

"James. . .Edward." She winced. "Fighting. Stop them. James will kill him. Please," she begged.

"Bella, James and Edward aren't here," Charles said calmly. "You said it yourself – James is dead."

She was engulfed in her own memories. Panicked, overwhelmed, she saw Edward. She let out one last cry, and blacked out.

"Bella?" Charles became alarmed as she went completely motionless. He nudged her shoulder. "Bella, dear, say something. Look at me."

Nothing happened.

The house phone next to them rang loud.

"Let it ring," Charles told the others. "It's probably someone calling for them."

Janet knelt in front of Bella and placed two fingers on her neck, checking her pulse. She looked at Charles. "She'll be alright. She's just unconscious, I think."

Bella woke up only long enough to hear it, turn to Charles, and say, "Alice, get it, someone." She blacked out again.

If it was what she wanted. He sighed lightly, stood, and went to the phone. "Hello?"

"Charles. . .is Bella okay?" Alice's voice rang high and loud.

Charles froze. ". . .Who is this?"

"Alice Cullen. Edward's sister. I've been keeping track of Bella. I saw that she has, ummm. . ." She paused, thinking of the right word. "Tripped. Is she awake?"

"I don't suppose you've been keeping track of what she's been saying about you?" Charles asked, his tone a cross between curiosity and thinly disguised malice.

"No, I haven't," she said, trying to hide impatience. "What has she been saying, then?"

"She has been begging 'you' and 'Carlisle' and 'Emmett' to stop 'Edward' and 'Jasper' from fighting. I don't know what you and your family did to her before you left her here, but I think you'll forgive me for saying that you could have at least made the transition a bit smoother."

"Edward thought that this was the best way," she said almost sadly. "And we never did anything. You think we got into fights or hurt her? Edward loves her." She ended this defensively.

". . .She cut her hand on a piece of glass, collapsed screaming after shouting the name of that person who loves her so much that he isn't here, and as of now is unconscious."

"What am I supposed to do about that?"

"Nothing. We'll take it from here."

"Don't let her know that we spoke. Please."

"Of course." That he could agree with.

The phone went dead.

And Bella started to move. And instead of calling for any of the Cullens, "Charles" was the person she called for.

Charles hung up the phone and turned to her. He smiled. "Yes, Bella?"

"I'm so sorry. . .for all this." She tried to get up. "Who was that?" she asked, forgetting that she had even told him who it was.

He took her hand – the one that wasn't covered in dried blood – and he helped her to her feet.

"I'm sorry," she said again. "Who was it? I don't know anyone that knows this number."

"It was just an acquaintance, nothing to be concerned about. And Bella, you don't need to apologize – I understand." He looked to the coven. "We all do." He looked back to her. "You're in pain, and you'll need time to heal."

"I'm fine, don't worry." She stumbled toward the stairs a little.

"Where are you going?" he asked, curious.

"I'm staying here, right?"

"Oh, I see." He walked with her, making sure she didn't hurt herself again.

She got up the stairs without injury, and walked around until she recognized his room. Most of the stuff was there; just the CDs with the player and a few other things were gone. But all she hoped to find was the couch. When she saw it, she smiled a little. As she sat down, she turned to Charles. "Was that how newborn vampires live – fights?" She said the word with ease as always.

Charles looked to one of the walls – black, with gold cloth hanging from them, a stark contrast to the white permeating the rest of the house. More specifically, to the wall where more than a dozen rows of CDs had once been on display. He thought, wondering how best to explain.

"Is there something wrong?"

He looked back at her. "No, nothing's wrong. Why do you ask?"

"Curious." She sat there. "So, is this how some families of vampires act? You know, fighting?"

"Newborns are volatile by nature," he said. "Territorial. They are as sure that every other vampire in the world is out to destroy them as they are sure that they breathe air. So yes, they do often get into fights. But Jesus and Nadine weren't fighting because they felt threatened by one another. It's what we usually do when we're bored. We practice our combat skills."

"Oh," she said. If she had known that, she would not have done anything other than watch. "What can I do to repay you for all that you are doing for me?"

"I'm not doing this because I expect repayment. All I ask is your trust."

"I do trust you. What time is it?"

"I'm not sure. Would you like me to ask?"

"I think I'll get ready for bed, it's getting dark out," she said, smiling.

He smiled a little, amused. "It's sunrise."

"Oh. Well, crap." She yawned, and fell asleep leaning against him.

He looked sideways at her, smiling. He put an arm around her shoulders, and then stayed still.