DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN ANYTHING. MEYER DOES.

EPOV

Edward opened his dazed eyes and tried to comprehend what was going on but his mind felt like it was filled with jello. The sudden change of uncontrollable euphoria to pain was debilitating. Edward was vaguely aware that he was still being shaken roughly and he slowly pulled himself together. Once he had recovered from his shock, Edward realized that Carlisle was leaning over and shaking him. "Stop. Please, stop." Edward pleaded, raising his hands in surrender.

"Why? What are you doing, Edward? What the hell do you think you're doing?" Carlisle growled in Edward's face, his own face distorting in anger.

"I don't know. Please stop shaking me." Edward gripped Carlisle's wrists and tried to pry him off but Carlisle's wrath made him stronger than Edward. In the background, Emmett, Jasper, Rosalie and Alice were glaring at Edward, also radiating anger and fear. Esme, on the other hand, was curled on the ground, sobbing with relief that Edward was safe (for the moment) and grief at his suicidal state.

Edward closed his eyes as everyone's thoughts crashed on him again and again. His head throbbed now and a strange burning sensation flowed though his hand. Feeling a sudden, unnatural wave of exhaustion, Edward closed his eyes and stopped struggling against Carlisle. Feeling Edward go limp, Carlisle finally got off and just as he moved back, Emmett and Jasper moved in, to make sure Edward didn't try to do anything else. Edward painfully opened his eyes and struggled to sit up. Once Edward was in sitting position, Emmett grabbed the upper portion of his right arm and Jasper firmly gripped the left one. Edward sighed and let his brothers hold him down even though he had no intention of going anywhere.

Looking up, Edward met the gaze of all his family members and tried to flinch back, but Emmett and Jasper kept him firmly rooted in one spot. "What did you think you were doing, Edward? We can let you mourn in peace but we will not stand aside and let you harm yourself, understand? You're sad, I understand, but keep your sanity or else there will be a family member to do it for you." Carlisle growled.

Edward shrank back. So did the rest of the family. No one had ever seen Carlisle mad before, upset and disappointed-yes, but not mad, and nowhere near mad enough to be dishing out threats. Carlisle, still winded up, continued. "You can't understand why I'm going off like this, can you? Even though you can read minds, even though you've lived with me the longest? Well, I'll show you why-" Carlisle abruptly stopped and harshly grabbed Edward's right, throbbing hand and brought it to his face.

"Look at it. I didn't turn you into a vampire to kill yourself. I turned you into one because your mother begged me on her deathbed. I don't think you understand what that means, Edward. The first person I was able to save from death was you. How do you expect me to let you throw it all away? I can't. You were the first person to join my family and I refuse to let you be the first one to leave as well. Look at your fingers. Look at what you've done to yourself." Carlisle was finally spent and he sank to the floor, curling up and biting the inside of his cheek to keep himself in control.

Edward stared at Carlisle in shock but focused his attention on his hand as he was told. What he saw gave him a sudden feeling of excitement and fear. He felt Jasper tense beside him and tighten his grip, but Edward was too wrapped up in his distorted fingers to care.

He gingerly touched his fingertips and was surprised to find them so tender. As he inspected his hand closer, he saw that their color had changed from snowy white to a tan-his human skin color. Edward gasped. He experimentally made his hand into a fist but quickly let his hand loose when he felt his fingers fill with a burning sensation. He pressed his fingertips again and was surprised to find them just as soft and fragile as human skin. His mouth parted in awe and he felt the rest of his hands with feverish excitement. But to his dismay, only his index, middle, and ring finger fingertips had this odd change to them.

He looked up as Carlisle questioningly, but Carlisle just shrugged. "I don't know what happened, Edward. That is why I was so scared. But after seeing you hand like that, I'm assuming that exposure to fire without getting burned can cause our body to become more human-ish. But I don't know." At the excited look in Edward's eyes, Carlisle resolutely added, "don't think about it, Edward. We are not try and you are not going anywhere alone from now on."

Edward's face fell but he could do nothing to contradict Carlisle, as the whole family was against him. He just sighed and let Jasper and Emmett lead his home. To his great relief, Carlisle still let Edward stay inside his room alone, but there were always people covering the exits and Alice was more vigilant than ever when it came to visions about Edward's future. So, with little else to do, Edward lay back on his couch and examined his messed up hand. Upon feeling the soft, fragile fingertips, Edward's mind reflected back to Bella.

His perfect goddess lay back on her bed and grinned at him with sleepy eyes. "Come here." She motioned for him to sit next to her and without a second thought, he obeyed. Your wish, my command.

"So, how was your day?" His goddess asked. Laughing at the generalness of the question, and knowing that he'd spent all but two hours with her.

He smiled and kissed her forehead, letting his lips drift to the tip of her nose so he could take in the soft, smooth, delicate expanse of her skin. "Well, I spent it with this beautiful girl and I have to say, I enjoyed every minute of it." He smiled, his eyes dancing.

His goddess raised her cute little eyebrows at him in mock curiosity and said, "a beautiful girl? Do I know her? Who is she? Tell me about her, will you?"

He laughed. "Oh, yes, of course. I don't know if you've ever met her, but you should. She is perfect. She has long, soft brown hair with chocolate eyes and a voice that would make sirens envious. She is senseless and kind and makes me want to run to the ends of the world and back with joy every time she says my name."

His goddess smiled and teased,. "I should like to meet this girl. She sounds quite interesting. Can you give me another hint at who she is?"

He smiled. "Of course, she is YOU."

Edward snapped back from his reverie with a smile. Oh, how he missed Bella. But then his smile quickly turned into a frown as he thought about how everything was over and his last chance at happiness was gone. His mouth twisted in anger and sorrow. He had been so close. So close to getting what he wanted! But they had stopped him. He was so tempted to go back and try it again. How hard would it be to make a fire from sunlight…

"EDWARD! DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!" Alice screamed from below.

Edward sighed. He'd have to find another way. Besides, he had all of eternity.

YEAY! EDDI'S NOT DEAD. REVIEW FOR ME PLEASE AND TELL ME IF YOU LIKE MY FLASHBACKS. :D