Author's Note: So hey guys, sorry to those of you who thought this would be posted yesterday, I don't like posting things after 11, and, unfortunately, thats when I got home. I also wanted to let u guys know that I wrote a new story (I have written the first 10 chapters, so it won't interfere with updating Found) about how Leah felt when she became a werewolf, and Sam and Emily getting married. I know some people hate Leah, but I felt like she was a misunderstood character who needed to be done justice :-) I want to thank all of my reviewers! I resubmitted this chapter bc I figured out how to view them, so thanks to darkmoon999, Bookits, -cooper-cullen, angelpnai13, Ann, intoxicated-vegemite, CrystalCullen, Vampireise, Otakugal, -bookluver1515-, crimson-goth-girl, xXxBloodandPain. LikeNoOtherxXx, GWRB Tommy Oliver, Trricia, Unicorns4774, SparklingTopazEyes, reader13, Forever-Aurelie, Kiren-Dar, VampireKa-Lyrra, bellafan4ever, klytzygirl34, Nissy Padfoot, ktsports555, Dreams of Twilight 45, EdwardsGirl1010, drama88queen95, FrenzzyforEdward, evwannaB3, Arianna Mason, '.Lamb, debbie-lou, bearhug946, Smoochynose, pricel, ShadowsDaughter, jlyric, halfJill HalfJack, carolina 81, love-of-my-existance, Kason08, FRK921, CellaCullen, and bitemeplease235!!! And also those people who have added this to their favorites and alerts! All of you mean so much to me! Anyway, here you are...

Disclaimer: okay, we all know who owns Twilight...

Previously:

"Though we would be proud to call her a Cullen." my vampire father said, coming up from behind me, it appeared that he had been alerted to the situation, as Esme followed him.

I smiled at him, which he returned. "Sam, we are not going to kill you all. But know that such an act was treacherous, and we will not spare your lives the next time something like this happens." Carisle said, his voice a hard, cold tone.

Sam nodded, remorsefully, he realized he had made a foolish decision. I felt sympathy for him; he had almost caused many deaths.

With that, our entire family left La Push, the knot in my stomach tightening. Alice had almost been killed, and it would have been my fault. I bit my lip as we headed back to the house.

Even My Own Happiness

I remained silent the entire way home. My mind kept running the scenes of the battle through my head: Jasper fighting, Alice hurt, Edward fighting, Alice hurt...on and on I watched the endless movie keep rolling. One thought stuck out to me: This was all of my fault.

The trees were thinning and I realized, we had now come to the Cullen mansion.

We entered the house, no one speaking, before making our way to the living room. I noticed Jasper was watching Alice intently, making sure she was alright as they sat down on the love seat across from the couch where I plopped down.

I watched as she rolled her eyes as she noticed his gaze and sighed, "Really Jazz, I am fine." she kissed his cheek softly and took his hand.

"You have nothing to worry about." she said, reassuring him. He watched her lovingly, staring into her eyes as though nothing else mattered in the world, but her. I looked away, feeling like I was intruding.

The guilt began to eat at me again, I couldn't imagine what my brother would do if anything happened to her. Today had been a very, very close call.

It was then I noticed, Alice and Jasper weren't the only ones watching their mates. Emmett and Rosalie, Carlisle and Esme, each pair only had eyes for the one they loved, realizing how quickly they could be lost.

A strange feeling came upon me when I realized, Edward was looking at me. Through my peripheral vision, I could tell he was watching me intently, a indistinguishable emotion in his eyes as he gazed at me.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't look at him. How could he even look at me? They had all been in danger, because of me! The knot in my stomach had become painful, I just needed to think...I stood up abruptly; all eyes flew to me. "I am going hunting." I stated, before walking out the door, not a single glance back. I just needed to think. Alone.

As I exited the house, I felt the slight breeze of the wind. Dark had settled now, totally and completely. Lucky for me, I didn't need a light to see.

I could hear the rustling of the creek by which Jasper and I had talked many times since I had come. Without hesitation, I set off. It would be the perfect place to get my thoughts together.

My feet padded along the grass swiftly, silent from years of training. It would be as hard for anyone to catch me by my footsteps, as my scent. In other words, virtually impossible. Only if I let my guard down could the Volturi hope to find me...

I was suprised by the train of thought my mind had spun out to. Racking my memory, I realized I had thought very little of the imminent threat the Volturi caused or any kind of threat in the past couple of weeks. I silently cursed my carelessness. I knew better than anyone that becoming complacent could mean death, I always needed to remain vigilant.

But how could I? I was..happy. And happiness made it impossible for me to feel scared. So then, what could I do? After the day's fiasco, I realized there needed to be a drastic change. Otherwise....I shivered, not even wanting to think about the possible consequenses.

As I puzzled over the question of what could be done, I reached the grimy boulder on which Jasper and I had sat.

I smiled at the memories. One of the things I had missed most in my life was him. I fiddled with the locket on my necklace. It seemed, whenever I had decisions to make, I had always fiddled my locket, it brought me back to the world of peace I had lived in as a human.

Though I had always worried about suitors, I never had feared for my life while growing up. But of course, I had feared for the life of my brother once he became a soldier.

I realized, with a shock, that our places had changed. As a human, I feared for his life, as a vampire, it was my life at stake. But still, it seemed it was him who I worried about. I loved my brother more than anything...

More than anything? An annoying voice in my head spoke.

More than your own happiness? It thought again.

As I sprawled out across the boulder I pondered the question, the light trickle of the stream in the backround. The water flowed onward, with not a care in the world. It had no worries...

But I did. More than your own happiness... I thought again.

Was it selfishness keeping me here? My own happiness? As I recalled what had happened with Carlisle vividly, I realized how history was repeating itself.

Every time I got close to someone, it was a risk. I had befriended Carlisle, but he had been put into harms way. Now it was both my father, my brother, and his entire family. I couldn't bear to even think about Edward. What would I do if he was hurt? I had known him for such a short time, but I was already falling in love with him.

It was horrible, I knew, because I was no good for Edward. I knew I shouldn't get close to him, because I would only put him at risk. He was perfect... too perfect to always be in danger. He deserved better.

But that is what I was- a danger magnet. And he was one of the people I could not afford to put into harm's way. I couldn't bare it if anything happened to him because of me...I couldn't live with myself.

What if it was the Volturi next time? What if they came after me..and found all of them- all of the Cullens-...my thoughts spiraled downward as the truth hit me, suddenly: I could not involve my family in this.

I remembered Jasper's face, when he saw Alice hurt, the love and compassion. What if it was because of me that was all taken away from him?

I thought of Emmett and Rose, Carlisle and Esme, and lastly, I thought of Edward. What about them? With me in their lives, they were always at risk of being captured...or worse.

I wouldn't let that happen. I wouldn't let them get hurt.

The Volturi would not come after my family.

One way or another I was going to stop it...even if it meant my own happiness.

Author's Note: Okay, so it was shorter, I wanted to give you an idea of about how long a chapter would be if I posted more often..For those of you have absolutely no idea what I am talking about PLEASE VOTE ON MY POLL!!! So I hoped you liked the chapter...I wanted to kind of show how Bella felt about Edward and show why there hasn't been a lot of BxE yet (because, yes, this is an ExB story) so review please and tell me your thoughts! I love hearing from you all! Until next time...

~Dreams of Bubbles~