Hi Everybody! Did you miss me? I know, I know...I left you with a cliffie, and didn't update for ever. I'm a horrible, horrible author! I do lay some of the blame on that damn Error 2 that keeps popping up all over the damn place...but unfortunately only some of it...Hopefully you'll still love me enough to read this, and let me know what you think.

A HUGE thanks to ChAOtic ReApEr for giving me the secret around that damn error message!

Chapter 10 - Because apologizing and making up would be the easy way out. - EPOV

Training had gone on without a hitch, although I didn't concentrate as hard as I should have, so I quit early. I sat down in the forest afterward and thought about what had happened earlier. I knew that Bet was right. The Volturi had no conscience; they would act on their first instinct, and that was to kill. It pained me more to think about the Volturi killing Bet, than it did to think of me hurting her in a short practice. She was also right about the fact that an injury could be fixed anytime, but death had no cure... I shook my head. I knew what my next step would be. I was going to go to the cottage and tell Bet that I would train her. When you look at it, I really have no choice. I looked up to see Anna walking toward me with her arms crossed, I didn't have to read her mind to know that something was bugging her, but it's not like I could help it. There were so many things on her mind that I couldn't tell which one was bugging her the most. Mine and Bet's fight, the Volturi, how much she wanted to wear that new outfit Bet bought her, and something that Peter and Charlotte had said about her.

"Hey..." She sighed and sat next to me on the ground. She crossed her arms on her knees and buried her face into them. I smiled and put my arm around her shoulders, pulling her into a hug.

"You can tell me..." but she interrupted me.

"Peter and Charlotte think that I'm doing nothing for anyone here. That all I do is buy groceries and goof off at training. I heard them talking about it just a little bit ago."

"But you don't...there's a difference between having fun and goofing off. You train with me because when you do you get stronger and better than you were; and we have fun…there's nothing wrong with that. And buying groceries for Nessie is a good thing...don't listen to them. They don't know what they are talking about."

Anna looked up at me with a slight smile. I shook my head…what I said did not change her mind at all.

"So when are you going to cave to Ali?"

I smiled but sighed. "She's right…I've tried to ignore it, but she's right. It's something we should work on now, when it's not life-threatening."

"You are right too, ya know. I know you don't want to hurt her. But she knows the risk…" She smiled at me trying to reassure me…like I had tried to reassure her.

"I know…I was actually about to head down there. Do you want to come?"

Anna smiled and linked her arm in mine. She knew that Tanya was watching from the window. She was about to turn and wave but I pulled her back shaking my head. "You're too funny." She grinned.

It didn't take long to get to the cottage. I pushed the cottage door open. "Bet?"

There was no answer. Maybe she was giving me the silent treatment. Anna tried calling, but we still didn't get an answer.

"Maybe she stepped out for a bit?" Anna sighed and walked out of the kitchen.

"It's possible." But not likely. Bet wouldn't just leave when Nessie could wake up. I headed for Nessie's room. As soon as I opened the door I knew something was wrong. I looked around the room until I saw her…crumpled in a heap on the floor near Nessie's bed. "What the-? Anna!" I ran to Bet and took her in my arms. I looked up at Anna as she ran through the door. "Get Nessie out of here. I don't want her to see this. Get Carlisle." Anna nodded; scooped up Nessie and ran to the main house. I looked at Bet and smoothed the hair away from her face. "No... Bet, please, no..." I felt her wrists and throat for a pulse…none. I listened for a heartbeat and found none. Damn it, Edward! Her heart doesn't beat! It hasn't beat in like 10 years! Bet was breathing, but her breaths were shallow. It's not that she needs to breath you stupid fuck! I was scared. I had never seen a vampire remain unconscious for longer than a few seconds…was she dying? Was that even possible, without completely dismembering and burning the pieces? I could not lose her, especially now. The Volturi were on their way, Nessie was too attached...I was too attached, and after everything I said to her...it couldn't end like this...I needed to fix things. I looked around the room trying to find a reason for her current condition, and found her wand on the floor. I put the wand in my pocket, and picked Bet up, knowing I should at least lay her on a bed. Nessie's bed was too small, so I had only one other option. As I walked to the master suite, I couldn't stop beating myself up for this. Whatever she had done, it was because of me…I just know it. If I wasn't such a stubborn shit… I laid her on the large four poster bed; I brushed her hair out of her face again. She looked like she was sleeping...God, I hope that's all this is. I heard Carlisle and Rose racing through the woods and through the door, within seconds they were in the room. I moved so Carlisle could examine Bet.

"What happened, Edward?" He asked as he started checking vitals. I didn't feel as foolish about checking for a heartbeat, when Carlisle did too.

"I don't know." I sat down in a chair in the corner, and put my head in my hands. "After Anna and I had finished training, we came to the cottage to talk to Bet. We called out, but she didn't answer. I thought it was weird...I know she wouldn't just leave Ness alone, no matter how mad at me she was."

Rose snickered. My head shot up, and I glared at her

She laughed. "What? It's kinda funny to look at it now...she was so pissed at you...and you were quite helpless." She snickered again. I hissed at her.

Carlisle looked up and gave us the 'children, behave' look. "Edward, please continue...did you notice anything?"

I put my head back in my hands. "Not until I walked to Reneesme's room. That's where I found her, on the floor at the foot of Nessie's bed. It looked like she collapsed. I checked for any injuries, but didn't find any. I had Anna take Nessie to the main house, and ask you to come. I moved her here, so you could check her more thoroughly...I did find her wand...on the floor next to her. Could she have put herself under a spell?"

Carlisle tilted his head to the side. "I suppose it's possible. I can tell you that she isn't dying." I saw a small smile tug at his lips at the sigh of relief I could not stop.

Carlisle laid a hand on my shoulder. "She is only sleeping...all we can do is make her comfortable; and you've done that. Now we wait...until she wakes up."

"I wonder why she would put herself under a sleeping spell." Rosalie looked pointedly at me...although I don't think Carlisle noticed. I moved back to sit on the bed by Bet.

"Probably to get away from everything..." I whispered, taking Bet's hand in mine. "To get away from me." I said even softer.

Rose softened a little...Sorry Edward...guess I was kinda harsh. I looked up at her and smiled and nodded. She smiled back, knowing that I forgave her. "I think I'm going let everyone know that she's alright." She turned and headed out the door.

Carlisle stood by foot of the bed. "Edward..." I stood and turned to face him...and his thoughts. He was confused. He didn't understand why I would react like this toward someone I had only met a couple of days ago. What the hell do I say? I don't understand this shit either!

"Edward...there's something special about Bet...isn't there?" I sighed and hung my head.

"I don't understand it Carlisle...I don't know why I feel like this. Wasn't Bella supposed to be my mate for eternity? How the hell can I even think about someone else, when Bella's not even been gone for 4 months?"

Carlisle crossed the room and put his hands on my shoulders. "Edward...things happen for a reason. I don't fully understand either, but don't fight it. Whatever happens, whatever feelings come; let them come. You know Bella would want you to be happy again. She wouldn't want you and Nessie to be alone."

I nodded, and smiled. "Thanks Carlisle."

He patted my shoulders. You deserve happiness. You've been thru so much. It wasn't fair that Bella was taken from you so soon. And with that, he left.

I sat there for hours, watching her sleep. This whole episode made me admit, at least to myself, that I was falling in love with her. That is the only explanation for my reactions…I couldn't bear it if I lost her. I know I felt the same way about Bella at first, but somehow this was different...stronger; yet I couldn't explain how. At around six in the morning, I heard the front door open, and little feet run down the hall way. Nessie threw herself at me.

"Is Lizzie gonna be okay, Daddy?" her eyes never left Bet's sleeping form.

"Yes honey, Lizzie's gonna be fine. She's just sleeping." I smiled down at Nessie to reassure her. She looked up at me confused.

"But Daddy…you don't sleep…why is Lizzie sleeping?" Her little forehead wrinkled with the effort of trying to understand.

I shook my head…"I don't know honey. We'll have to ask her when she wakes up."

"When will that be?"

I sighed…"I don't know. I need you to go with Anna and Rose, okay. I'll stay with Lizzie."

"Okay Daddy." She slid out of my arms, but stayed by the bed. She reached out, and squeezed Bet's hand. Then she turned and ran out of the room.

I sighed and sat back down in the corner chair that I had pulled closer to the bed. Time moved so slowly as I waited for whatever spell she had cast fell. Even though the wait was killing me, I could watch Bet sleep forever. She looks so peaceful...like an adult doll. I brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes, and her eyelids fluttered. She's waking up!

I moved to sit on the bed. "Bet…Bet are you awake?"

I was rewarded with a soft groan, and a toss of her head.

"Bet…wake up." She groaned again, muttered something I couldn't understand; but her eyelids fluttered again. If Emmett was here, he'd tell me to be Prince Charming, and kiss her awake…I wonder if that would work…her eyelids fluttered again, and opened. She looked up at me confused and tried to sit up. I gently put a hand on her shoulder and pushed her back down.

"Don't...I want Carlisle to look at you first." I smiled as she looked confused. Her eyes were still out of focus…like she had been drugged. Carlisle was definitely going to look at her and make sure she is okay.

"What…what happened?" She rasped out. Man, even having just woken up, her voice is still…I shook my head.

"We were hoping you could tell us. I found you at the foot of Nessie's bed unconscious and your wand on the floor nearby."

"Ohh…yeah. The sleeping spell…it really worked?" she looked embarrassed.

I chuckled. "I'll say it did. I walked in, and found you, I didn't know what happened."

I looked up, and saw a nose peeking thru a window. "Seth, go get Carlisle for us…please?" He nodded, and ran off.

She smiled a sad sort of smile. "I'm sorry…I just…I wasn't being fair to you…you're just doing what you think is right. I couldn't stop thinking some really mean things. I wanted to stop, but couldn't…so I tried putting myself to sleep, but I didn't think it would work."

"Look, about that…I changed my mind. I'll train you, if that's what you want. You are right, the Volturi would point you out as the weak one, and they would kill you the first chance they get. I don't want that to happen… I don't want to lose you."

"Edward-" I put a finger to her lips.

"Let me finish..." When she nodded, my hand moved to cup her face. "When I found you last night…it hurt… all I thought about all night, was the fight. And how if you did die, the last thing I said hurt you…I don't want to fight anymore Bet. I don't want to lose you, especially in the middle of a fight, do you understand?"

She smiled and squeezed my hand. "Yeah, I think I do. Thank you."

A soft cough made us both look up to see Carlisle standing in the doorway. He grinned and moved into the room. "Good morning Bet, how are you today?"

She smiled back. "I'm fine...really…"

Carlisle did several little tests to Bet, watching for her reaction…until finally giving her a clean bill of health.

I grinned. "Good. I think there is a little girl that wants to see Bet. Anna, can you bring Nessie in please?"

There was a long pause then I finally heard footsteps. It wasn't Anna. "Rose? Why doesn't Anna have Nessie? Where is she?"

Rose looked down while she walked Nessie to the bed. Nessie promptly jumped up on the bed and snuggled close to Bet. "I…nobody knows Edward…nobody knows where Anna is. She took off when I informed everyone that Bet was okay."

"But where would she go?" That just wasn't like Anna…to run off without telling anyone.

Bet's eyes widened as she held Nessie close. "No... She wouldn't... She wouldn't do it."

Rose and I looked at her. "Do...what?"

Bet sat up, looking paler than normal...if that's possible for a vampire. "I think I know where she is...but..."

"Where…Bet?" Rose grabbed Bet's shoulders and shook her gently.

Bet's face was completely blank as she said "She went to Volturi." Carlisle, Rose, and I gasped.

Rose spoke first. "No! She wouldn't! She knows what would happen if they caught her... Edward, we have to stop her."

"Why? She's just going to get me shoes..." Nessie looked up at me, confused.

I looked at Bet, she shook her head and mouthed 'later'. I looked out the window. "We can't stop her Rose, she's probably on a plane already; you know how she is."

"Well, what can we do?" Rose demanded. Wow...Rose never gets like this. She was never like this when Bella was around...but she's always been close to Anna. I know she likes Bet, but I wonder if she could get that close to Bet. It would be nice for my sister to actually like the person I can't live without...she didn't really like Bella; not until Bella decided to keep Nessie.

Bet cradled Nessie in her arms and stood up. "All we can do is make sure she is safe... and get her out of there as quickly as we can..."

Well, there you go. Hope it didn't suck too bad. I'll try not to wait so long for the next chappie. Leave a review, let me know what you think. Thanks to everyone who has set this to alert, and to bananafreak97, James Gang, butterflybetty, drakeundone, and Sakura Lisel for their reviews! It is so rewarding to know others enjoy the stuff that comes out of this retarded little head of mine :)